Each week, Reina + Christina bring you up close with the influencers you dream of meeting at conferences and workshops, but maybe don’t have a budget to attend yet. Sprinkled in between these are teaching episodes, and mentoring that walks show listeners through common problems with solutions during their early days of business.
Episode 250: The Finale, with Reina + Christina - the Creative Empire podcast
Oct 25, 2018
Hey, Creative Empire listeners, this is our biggest show yet for reasons that we are about to reveal. Reina and Christina are together today and we have some pretty big news for you. Christina and Reina have gotten together over the past two and a half years to record these episodes month in and month out. This is episode 250. They have recorded 250 episodes and have decided that they are going to be stopping the Creative Empire. This is the very last finale episode of CEP as it is right now.
Main Takeaways:
What the origin story was [0:02:11]
What their favorite part of the show is [0:04:11]
Why are the duo leaving the space [0:09:34]
Why quitting something does not mean a failure [0:14:32]
What Christina has in store for her Creative Empire [0:17:15]
What Reina has in store for her Creative Empire [0:20:22]
Why they will be serving you in a different way [0:24:02]
Would Reina do a podcast again [0:24:43]
Would Christina do a podcast again [0:25:27]
How to connect with Christina [0:27:58]
How to connect with Reina [0:28:46]
There’s nothing better than the connections I think we’ve made out of the show.
For me, being able to share diverse perspectives and interesting people has taught me so much. It has also taught me so much about being a leader.
— Reina Pomeroy
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Episode 249: Jam Session with Reina + Christina, Scaling Your Business - the Creative Empire podcast
Oct 22, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are talking about scaling your business, specifically how do you know what to scale to, what are some red flags that show you maybe you shouldn’t be scaling right now, and what kinds of things you can scale into. If you have no idea how to make more money, or how to serve more people most importantly, this is the episode for you.
Main Takeaways:
What some indicators for scaling are [0:01:46]
Why you need to be clear in your offerings [0:04:00]
How big of an audience size do you need to know when to scale [0:10:03]
Why a pre-launch is so important for a course launch [0:14:34]
What to do to start scaling [0:24:10]
What the online course model looks like [0:25:50]
What the agency model looks like [0:29:49]
What the one-to-many model looks like [0:35:22]
What membership models look like [0:43:48]
I would rather have a small course that I can complete that I know that I’m going to get through, rather than this massive course that’s going to attempt to help me with everything.
If you don’t know your conversion rate, then you’re not ready to scale.
— Christina Scalera
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Episode 248: Growing a Subscription Box Business, with Julie Ball - the Creative Empire podcast
Oct 18, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by founder and chief sparkler of Sparkle Hustle Grow, Julie Ball. Sparkle Hustle Grow is a monthly subscription box and online community for female entrepreneurs. Julie leads thousands of women through personal development and business training in a way that’s fun and supportive. Julie is an author, speaker, community builder and subscription box coach. She’s been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Thrive Global, PopSugar, Mashable, BuzzFeed and probably all those places that you guys check out online when you’re procrastinating.
Main Takeaways:
How she went from running a design business to Sparkle Hustle Grow [0:01:19]
Where to start with a product shop [0:04:03]
What her advice is to start [0:09:05]
How to validate things in your business [0:12:03]
What you can find in the Sparkle Hustle Grow box [0:13:52]
What the Subscription Box Bootcamp is [0:22:38]
What success stories Julie has seen with her subscribers [0:25:07]
How much you can learn from mistakes made [0:27:08]
How to balance both businesses [0:32:03]
As I was thinking about products and what products that I love, subscription boxes were kind of like top of mind for me because I was a subscriber to several subscription boxes.
As I was thinking about products and what products that I love, subscription boxes were kind of like top of mind for me because I was a subscriber to several subscription boxes.
— Julie Ball
Bio:
Julie Ball is the Founder + Chief Sparkler of Sparkle Hustle Grow, a monthly subscription box and online community for female entrepreneurs. Julie leads thousands of women through personal development and business training in a way that’s fun and supportive. Julie is an author, speaker, community builder, and subscription box coach-- featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Thrive Global, POPSUGAR, Mashable, and Buzzfeed. After running her successful website design and development firm, Julie wanted to get out from behind the screen. This desire coupled with her biggest inspiration--the female entrepreneur community--is what led her to start Sparkle Hustle Grow. Taking her knowledge of the entrepreneurial world and key products that helped her grow her business, she combined them into one product--delivered monthly in a fun-to-open package and has been able to help fellow female entrepreneurs on their journeys toward success. A media studies graduate of Penn State University, Julie went on to get her Masters in Internet Marketing from Full Sail University. Before starting her own business, she worked in corporate music marketing, holding management level roles in a mostly-male dominated industry. Julie lives in the mountains of western NC with her husband and daughter.
Episode 247: Dual Coast Living + Photography, with Kristen Brown - the Creative Empire podcast
Oct 15, 2018
Reina and Christina are chatting with Kristen Brown of Samba to the Sea and The Sunset Shop. Kristin is a gal who was gone from humble roots as a photographer in the United States creating a dual coast living from Savannah, Georgia and Costa Rica. In addition, you have to go check out Kristen on Instagram and get all the down-low and all the cute pictures of Gidget on Instagram, because this is a chihuahua you do not want to miss out on.
Main Takeaways:
How Kristen decided to move to Costa Rica + split her time in Savannah [0:02:24]
How she finds clients in a destination location [0:05:46]
What her visual portfolio looks like + what style she has [0:08:01]
Why living in two areas helps her business [0:14:54]
What challenges + transitions she has faced [0:19:47]
What growing has looked like for her [0:24:06]
What assets Kristen has + what her superpower is [0:26:43]
How photography has been something she has always loved [0:28:55]
What the “banks” are that Kristen looks like + having blinders [32:47]
It was more so out of need of I’ve really started to miss a lot of things about the US, just like easy conveniences that we take for granted as Americans.
You can’t compare someone’s middle, or where they are, to your beginning.
— Kristen Brown
Bio:
Me llamo Kristen – that’s Español for “My name is Kristen.” Not too long ago, it was love at first wipeout after my first surf lesson in New York City - - within a year of that first lesson, I retired from the hustle and bustle of the NYC corporate banking world and traded in my heels for a surfboard and camera in Costa Rica. Most days you can find me surfing beautiful Costa Rican waves, photographing a breathtaking sunset, or playing on the beach with my Chihuahua, Gidget. I’m a sunset chaser, soul surfer, and photographer for the sunset dreamers + wild at heart. You can check out my brand and editorial work here, wedding and family photography work here, bring a piece of paradise home with you via my sunset and beach prints at The Sunset Shop, and chase sunsets with me on Instagram @sambatothesea!
Episode 246: Educational Nugget - The Legal Side of Your Biz + How to Protect It, with Christina - the Creative Empire podcast
Oct 11, 2018
Today Reina and Christina are bringing you another jam session! Christina is talking all about legal. She is talking about what happens if somebody steals your ideas, what to do when you’re thinking about “should I be trademarking something or not?,” and how to potentially close your business. These are all things that at some point, you’re going to be thinking about or confronted by in your business. Knowing that you have legal options and hopefully somebody you can trust in order to help protect you in your business is super helpful as well. If you are excited to talk about all legal things and things that just happen kind of in the daily business life of an entrepreneur, listen below.
Main Takeaways:
What the worst reason to not start your business [0:01:12]
What to do when someone creates a product exactly like yours [0:02:33]
Why brand building is so important [0:05:00]
What actions you can take to stop people from copying you + trademarks [0:10:21]
When to decide to talk to an attorney [0:18:08]
What to think about when closing your business + exiting your business [0:25:20]
At some point, you mentor enough people, you are going to mentor someone into your shoes. In this world of community over competition, one of your clients is going to take it too far.
Just because you’re right, doesn’t mean that you’re not going to have to pay to respond to all these people or pay legal fees because people can really make a big fuss and it ends up costing you money.
— Christina Scalera
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Episode 245: All About Punkpost, with Alexis "Lex" Monson - the Creative Empire podcast
Oct 08, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Alexis “Lex” Monson. Lex is the Co-founder and CEO of Punkpost, a service powered by a community of artists who handwrite and send cards for you. Punkpost is the dashboard for creating and managing happy moments. Lex’s goal is to help people make good on their good intentions and give people an accessible way to connect with one another in a deeper, more meaningful way. Before Lex founded Punkpost, she was the managing community editor at Brit + Co. Prior to that, she worked as a senior editor at Yelp, so she knows her way around the internet.
Main Takeaways:
Why Punkpost was created [0:02:42]
Who Punkpost works with [0:04:40]
What types of cards they have [0:09:21]
What fires Lex up about Punkpost [0:11:19]
Why they are cultivating a community at Punkpost [0:14:01]
How to become an artist to Punkpost [0:20:07]
What some of the business stages they have went through [0:21:00]
What people are sending cards for + their best holidays [0:24:52]
As business owners, or just busy humans in general, you don’t always have the time to put all the steps together to make (sending a card) come to life.
I just think as a creative, when you’re creating something, you’re really giving a lot of yourself and putting yourself out there. It’s so important to have someone acknowledge what you’re doing and praise you for what you’re doing.
— Alexis "Lex" Monson
Bio:
Dr. Lindsay Padilla is the founder of Course Power, a company that helps I trailblazing entrepreneurs create student-centered courses, content and communities that get their clients A+ results! Using her years of teaching adults online at a community college and the ridiculous amount of learning she has done in all things education, her team specializes in supporting digital entrepreneurs with the early stages of course or program creation, with a focus on optimizing content and elevating the experience using student feedback. She's also the host of the Academics Mean Business Podcast, which shares the journeys of other academics who have started businesses.
Episode 244: Second Shooting in Photography, with Natarsha Wright - the Creative Empire podcast
Oct 04, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Natarsha Wright, who is a published, and featured, wedding photographer and personal branding photographer. Natarsha is committed to building her business through second shooting, which is really cool. The trio are talking about second shooting. If you have ever been curious about how you get into that or supplementing your business income by doing second shooting. Natarsha is going to be talking a little bit about tips and tricks for how to get second shooter gigs and some of the things that you need to know to make sure that you’re not stepping on people’s toes.
Main Takeaways:
How Natarsha got into wedding photography [0:01:58]
Why she is so passionate about second shooting [0:03:20]
How to be a second shooter + what it means [0:08:27]
What mistakes people make as a second shooter [0:11:19]
What advice she has for lead photographers [0:16:57]
What types contracts you should have in place [0:19:12]
What tips Natarsha has to be a second shooter + skills to have [0:22:50]
What camera lenses to start with as a second shooter [0:25:49]
Why she created a resource for second shooters [0:29:19]
How pricing can vary as a second shooter [0:30:47]
My heart is serving. I love serving others and what better way to do that than serving creatives through second shooting.
You want to make sure that you operate and serve in excellent when you’re documenting someone’s legacy.
— Natarsha Wright
Bio:
Natarsha Wright is a published and featured wedding photographer and personal branding photographer, and the owner of Natarsha Wright Photography. After years of specializing in wedding photography, she now partners with creatives who are focused on increasing their brand visibility by showcasing intentional visual content needed to connect with their target audience and grow a more profitable business. Natarsha’s passion is helping creatives tell the story of their couples + brands through curated images aimed at their target audiences and missions. Her work has been featured on The Knot, Baltimore Bride, Washingtonian Bride and Groom, Virginia Bride, Essence, Black Bride, Aisle Perfect, Munaluchi Bridal and more. When she’s not in grind mode she is exploring taco and ramen bars, checking out the latest netflix binge worthy shows, or spending time with family and friends.
Episode 243: Jam Session with Reina + Christina, 5 Tips for Growing a Successful Business - the Creative Empire podcast
Oct 01, 2018
Welcome back to another episode of the Creative Empire Podcast. Reina and Christina are jamming all about five habits of growing a successful business. It’s actually 10, because each of them have five. Reina’s perspective is the mom perspective and Christina's perspective is all about the success habits of traveling and maintaining a really successful business. Listen below to hear all ten!
Main Takeaways:
Why less is definitely more [0:03:28]
How to pack light + wash your clothes on the go [0:08:19]
Why you should double and triple check your schedule [0:11:06]
Why you should bring food everywhere [0:15:10]
Why having a morning routine is important [0:21:31]
What Reina’s recoup day looks like [0:23:05]
Why you should create 3 buckets of life [0:29:01]
How to “sit by the pool” [0:33:00]
Why reading is important [0:34:10]
It has broken my stationary loving heart, but I’ve had to digitize everything.
You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else. As women, we do tend to have a tendency to take care of everything and everyone else before we take care of ourselves.
— Reina Pomeroy
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Episode 242: Growing A Product Shop, with Kylie Clayborne + Liz Rich - the Creative Empire podcast
Sep 27, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are chatting with Liz Rich and Kylie Clayborne of Wee Rascals. Their mission of Wee Rascals, is really cool! When you go to their website, they talk all about empowering kids with hip and historical tees and they have really built a movement out of their product. At the beginning of the episode, we here how the ladies got started working together and what the mission behind the business they have build is. The duo share how scary it was to niche into their market and how they have reduced risk in their business. Lastly, they dive into some of the struggles they have faced as product shop owners.
Main Takeaways:
How the ladies starting working together + what Wee Rascal is [0:01:21]
Why it was scary to niche down in their market [0:05:18]
How the duo reduce risk as a product shop [0:09:45]
What some of their struggles as a product based business was [0:11:10]
How they listen to their audience [0:16:01]
What the duo do to stay organized [0:19:45]
What some of their lessons learned have been [0:22:04]
How they have kept their focus [0:25:22]
The heart of (Wee Rascals) is just really wanting to inspire kids.
We’re definitely open for change and letting it grow and it’s kind of own organic way, while still kind of holding pretty tight to the concept of really empowering and inspiring kids in a different way.
— Kylie Clayborne
Bio:
Liz Rich: Co- Founder, Mama of 3 and currently living in Vancouver, BC. Kylie Clayborne: Owner + Co- Founder, Mama of 2 and currently living in Austin, TX.
Wee Rascals was started in 2013, born out of a desire to empower children with tales of true heroism. To spark their curiosity and connect them with their own possibilities. With 5 children between us, we wanted to give our own children more options for clothing than we saw in the sea of superheroes and princesses. We wanted them to see real faces and hear stories of courage, perseverance and selfless dedication that has led to the betterment of humankind. We wanted to spark curiosity within our own children and yours, and prompt conversations that matter.
Episode 241: Podcasting + Networking, with Molly Beck - the Creative Empire podcast
Sep 24, 2018
Reina and Christina are back today and are talking to Molly Beck. Molly is the founder of the podcast creation site, messy.fm and the author of Reach Out. It’s a career advice guidebook published by McGraw-Hill. This book helps you in networking in a really non-sleazy way. Even entrepreneurs can really utilize these tactics that she’s got outlined for us. At the beginning of the episode we hear all about how Molly’s book, Reach Out, has changed her career and why she wrote it. She shares with us about her business, messy.fm, and about many of the hang-ups podcasters have when starting. Lastly, we hear what “reaching out” means and how to do it for the first time.
Main Takeaways:
What her book, Reach Out, has done for her + how it changed her career [0:01:44]
What messy.fm is + who their target is [0:06:19]
What some hang-ups are for podcasters [0:12:21]
How to reach out the first time [0:28:25]
The number one thing I hear from podcasters that have been podcasting is man, I wish I started earlier.
You know, if you wanted to start a blog, it’s super easy, you would go to WordPress for Squarespace or Wix or Blogspot and you would have that show up and running and I just felt like people were being left behind in the podcasting revolution because there just wasn’t a WordPress for podcast.
— Molly Beck
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Episode 240: Creating A Course People Want, with Dr. Lindsay Padilla - the Creative Empire podcast
Sep 20, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Dr. Lindsay Padilla. Dr. Lindsay Padilla is the founder of Course Power, a company that helps trailblazing entrepreneurs create student-centered courses, content and communities that get their clients A+ results. Her team specializes in supporting digital entrepreneurs with the early stages of course, or program creation, with a focus on optimizing content and elevating the experience using student feedback. She's also the host of the Academics Mean Business podcast, which shares the journeys of other academics who have started businesses. If you are thinking about starting an online course, or you have an online course, you must pay attention to the remainder of this episode. It's mandatory. The trio are talking today about how to start your course, how to get that beta round up off the ground, and the nitty-gritty details of what it takes to have a successful course.
Main Takeaways:
How she got into online courses from the traditional academic path [0:02:06
How to start building a course + staying focused [0:05:23]
What winning looks like as a course creator [0:12:39]
What course challenges Dr. Lindsay Padilla sees [0:17:21]
What her beta framework includes + why you should do a beta [0:22:50]
How to reengage people in your course [0:36:07]
Why working with Dr. Lindsay Padilla can help you [0:40:01]
(A course is) the intersection of the thing that you have skills to teach something you would love to teach about and something that the market is willing to pay for a solution.
That’s the fun thing about being an entrepreneur, you’re both a teacher and a learner all at the same time.
— Dr. Lindsay Padilla
Bio:
Dr. Lindsay Padilla is the founder of Course Power, a company that helps I trailblazing entrepreneurs create student-centered courses, content and communities that get their clients A+ results! Using her years of teaching adults online at a community college and the ridiculous amount of learning she has done in all things education, her team specializes in supporting digital entrepreneurs with the early stages of course or program creation, with a focus on optimizing content and elevating the experience using student feedback. She's also the host of the Academics Mean Business Podcast, which shares the journeys of other academics who have started businesses.
Episode 239: Jam Session with Reina + Christina, Instagram - the Creative Empire podcast
Sep 17, 2018
Reina and Christina are back for a jam session to intentionally talk about Instagram. If you use Instagram for your business, or you are not but want to, listen up! At the beginning of the episode, both Reina and Christina share about their relationship with Instagram. We hear why trying out types of content on the platform can be helpful and we hear which posts get better engagement. Lastly, we hear why Christina has went back to Instagram and their thoughts on the 10K mark.
Main Takeaways:
What Reina’s relationship with Instagram [0:01:38]
What Christina’s relationship with Instagram [0:02:48]
How Instagram keeps changing + why you should experiment [0:06:12]
How to use Instagram for your business [0:09:28]
What posts have better engagement [0:17:56]
How IG TV [0:19:43]
What Christina’s wins on Instagram have been + why she started IG again [0:23:05]
How Reina feels like Instagram is weighted for 10K [0:30:02]
What I’ve seen and what I admire about people that have a lot of followers on Instagram is that it does feel like it affords them a lot of opportunities if they are capable of taking advantage of those opportunities.
— Christina Scalera
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Episode 238: Why You Need An Opt-In, with Vanessa Ryan - the Creative Empire podcast
Sep 13, 2018
Reina and Christina are back today talking to Vanessa Ryan. Vanessa is an opt-in strategist with an absolute love for all things digital product and lodging and making it all seem not so scary, which is such a superpower. Most importantly, she helps women entrepreneurs turn strangers into fast friends, future clients and customers using opt-ins. If you have no idea what an opt-in is, we’re going to be diving into that. At the beginning of the episode, we learn about how Vanessa has gotten to where she is, plus we hear all about opt-ins are and what their purpose is. Then the trio brain storm opt-in ideas for our audience and how to share them with the world. Lastly, we hear about Vanessa’s template shop and her free course for Creative Empire listeners.
Main Takeaways:
How Vanessa got to where she is today [0:01:37]
What her opt-in’s look like + what programs she uses [0:03:18]
What is an opt-in + the purpose of them [0:06:28]
What type of opt-ins our audience could create [0:09:31]
How to get your opt-in in front of people outside of social media [0:15:38]
Why you need to focus on your dreamy clients [0:19:03]
How to create a high value opt-in [0:20:46]
Why her templates are helpful to make your opt-ins pretty and branded [0:24:30]
I really love helping people figure out opt-ins that not only help them get more subscribers, but actually helps them make money by being able to sell more of their products, and also book more of their dreamy clients, or the projects they really want to work on.
My purpose for helping people create really good opt-ins is to actually have an end-goal, and it’s not just to create an opt-in for the sake of creating an opt-in.
— Vanessa Ryan
Bio:
Vanessa is an opt in strategist with a love for digital products and launching, and making it all seem not so scary. Most importantly, she helps women entrepreneurs turn strangers into fast friends, future clients and customers using opt ins. When she is not using her brainstorming super power, she can be found being covered in glitter and play doh ever so happily by her toddler (aka, the muse).
Episode 237: Running a Debt Free Business, with Molly Stillman - the Creative Empire podcast
Sep 10, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Molly Stillman is the founder and creator of Still Being Molly, a life and style blog started in 2007 and the host of the Business With Purpose podcast with over 600,000 readers. Stillbeingmolly.com has become a trusted community for women, especially moms who love everything from style and beauty to parenting and real food, to serving in their communities and making the world a better place. At the beginning of the episode, we hear all about Molly’s struggles with debt and how it influenced her to live a debt free life. Molly shares about why sharing your struggles with someone is important to your healing. Lastly, she shares some safeguards you can put up in your business to set yourself up for financial success.
Main Takeaways:
How she started blogging in 2007 [0:01:41]
How grief has influenced her debt [0:05:34]
What she did to get out of the debt [0:12:23]
How her husband and her live a debt-free lifestyle [0:19:28]
Why you need to share your struggles [0:20:53]
How to say "no" to unwise business decisions [0:26:26]
What safeguards you can put up in your business [0:32:43]
How to strategize for future expenses [0:38:34]
I wouldn’t be where I am now had it not been for that really terrible dark season of my life.
My biggest tip is first share it with somebody and then get help.
— Molly Stillman
Bio:
Molly Stillman is the founder and creator of Still Being Molly, a life and style blog started in 2007, and the host of the Business with Purpose podcast. With over 600,000 readers in the last year, stillbeingmolly.com has become a trusted community for women, especially moms, who love everything from style and beauty, to parenting and real food, to serving in their communities and making the world a better place. Molly has had the honor of collaborating with well-known brands such as Stitch Fix, Target, Sseko Designs, CAUSEBOX, Sevenly, Noonday Collection, and more. Molly is honored to have been featured in such publications and media as US News & World Report, Scary Mommy, Fashion Revolution’s Zine “Loved Clothes Last”, The 700 Club, Cary Magazine, and was named as one of “the Carolina’s 75 Most Stylish People” by Carolina STYLE Magazine.
Episode 236: Empire Mentoring Session: Setting Boundaries, with Anne Casey - the Creative Empire podcast
Sep 06, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined with Anne Casey in an empire mentoring session. Anne is a thirty something, ex-firefighter and paramedic turned wedding photographer and a mom living right outside Baltimore. She is currently running two businesses, so they are going to be talking about what’s happening in her businesses and will be creating some solutions with her.
Main Takeaways:
How Anne has gotten to where she is [0:01:23]
How to deal with juggling home and business [0:02:40]
Why + how to set phone boundaries with your family [0:05:31]
What some ways to set time boundaries [0:14:24]
How to start batching content [0:18:11]
Why you have to create a good to-do list [0:28:23]
It is really difficult to tell people, especially when they’re not in this (creative) world, and set the parameters and the boundaries around your workspace and what is appropriate and what is not.
Stick to the facts (when defining boundaries) as much as you can rather than your feelings because the thing here about boundaries is that, you’re protecting your business by protecting your boundaries.
— Reina Pomeroy
Bio:
I'm a 30 something ex-firefighter and paramedic turned wedding photographer and mother living just outside of Baltimore. My days consist of puppy dog snuggles from my mastiff, working from my home office in sweats and a messy bun, and juggling motherhood, being a wife, and 2 businesses.
Episode 235: Mindfulness Painting, with Hannah Lowe Corman - the Creative Empire podcast
Sep 03, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Hannah Lowe Corman, who is a Mindfulness Painter in New York City. She has been painting and drawing since childhood, studying after school and during summers at the Maryland Institute of College of Art. At the beginning of the episode, we hear about how Hannah has found herself painting. She shares what her work and business looks like and how mindfulness has become a part of it. Hannah shares about mindfulness and the how and why to starting one. At the end of the episode, the trio discuss how showing off your uniqueness is special for being a creative.
Main Takeaways:
How Hannah became a painter [0:02:11]
What her work + business looks like [0:07:50]
Why you should start a mindfulness practice + how to start [0:13:01]
How mindfulness falls into her business [0:17:46]
How to identify anxiety + using mindfulness to combat it [0:22:12]
What uniqueness means as a creative [0:30:13]
I had been creating my whole life, but it truly, truly never occurred to me that this would be what I would do as a living for money.
Get involved with The Strong Mothers Project: hello@hannahlowecorman.com
The main crux of being mindful is to be very aware of your present state, and not allowing, worrying about the future, or the past, those things cloud into your mind that aren’t truly what’s happening right now.
— Hannah Lowe Corman
Bio:
Hannah Lowe Corman is a mindfulness painter in New York. She’s been painting and drawing since childhood, studying after school and during summers at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her undergraduate degrees are in Finance and French, and she spent the first part of her career in healthcare and investment banking as well as not-for-profit fundraising, however upon moving to New York, she took the leap into selling her art, inspired by the full-time artists she met there. She paints organically-inspired collections, as well as undertakes custom painting commissions and large-scale wedding backdrop work. Hannah also teaches yoga and meditation, mindfulness practices that she melds with her painting practice into what she describes as the process of Mindfulness Painting, a mind-body approach to painting. She can be found painting in her NYC apartment with her son and husband or teaching yoga. Her art has been featured at West Elm, on houzz.com and her wedding backdrops have been in My Wedding Magazine, The Perfect Palette and Borrowed + Blue. Hannah is passionate about trying to live in the moment, and while her practices ease stress and anxiety, she is not a medical professional and they are not intended to replace necessary medical or clinical care.
Episode 234: Why Pinterest Should Be A Priority In Your Business, with Cara Chace - the Creative Empire podcast
Aug 30, 2018
Today, Reina and Chrisina are joined today by Cara Chace, who is a Pinterest Marketing and Squarespace design expert. Cara is sharing all about Pinterest and how it can be used in your business. At the beginning of the episode, Cara shares how she got started in the creative industry and how she has niched her business down into Pinterest. We learn about why we should be using Pinterest as business owners and learn what a promoted pin is. Towards the end of the episode we hear how to start with Pinterest and what some of the best practices are for the platform!
Main Takeaways:
How Cara got started + where her business is now [0:01:53]
Why Pinterest should be a priority in your business [0:08:19]
What promoted pins are + why you should use them [0:15:30]
What a "tripwire" is [0:23:18]
Where to start with Pinterest [0:25:09]
How to create keyword optimized descriptions + best practices [0:27:24]
What the most important things are for Pinterest [0:33:43]
Keywords get you found, graphics get you clicked.
As far as ad dollars, my minimum threshold is there’s got to be an e-mail exchange for it.
— Cara Chace
Bio:
Meet Cara Chace - Pinterest Marketing + Squarespace Design are her JAM. She started in social media marketing in 2011 by managing 13 million fans across 17 social media accounts for a worldwide band. Since then, she's gone on to create hashtag campaigns for cities and their tourism boards, websites for entertainers and small businesses, and online courses to help online entrepreneurs like YOU figure out this whole digital marketing puzzle for their business. When she's not geeking out on Pinterest and Squarespace, she's listening to music, reading in fuzzy slippers, or entertaining her kiddo with dance parties and doing the "funny faces" on Snapchat.
Episode 233: Mentoring Session: Baby-proofing Your Business, with Rachel Brumley - the Creative Empire podcast
Aug 27, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are talking with Rachel Brumley, of Brumley and Bloom, and we are going to be doing a mentoring session, talking about baby-proofing your business. At the beginning of the episode we hear from Rachel who shares with us how nervous she is for pregnancy in her business. The trio discuss how baby-proofing your business will not only help you now, but also in the future. We hear from Reina and Christina about automating different processes and how to do that, plus setting up a lead funnel and having a client process. Not only will you hear the why behind automating, you also will hear how to combat the overwhelm that can go along with writing these processes!
Main Takeaways:
Where she is in her business + what is on her mind [0:02:15]
How important starting to baby-proof your business can be [0:03:00]
What her weekly schedules look like [0:06:51]
How to automate things in your business [0:11:16]
What setting up a lead funnel + client process can look like [0:14:28]
What to hire out first [0:20:31]
Why systems can be overwhelming + how to combat it [0:26:14]
Knowing that I wanted a family was part of why I wanted to be more of an entrepreneur rather than stuck in an office somewhere.
— Rachel Brumley
Bio:
My name is Rachel, a twenty-something, newlywed florist from Michigan.
Sometimes I can't even believe this is my life. I love working alongside my sweet husband, Chase, to create stunning floral designs that would make your dreams jealous. I believe that the entire wedding planning experience should be as wonderful as your wedding day. I love going above and beyond for each client and hearing those magical words "It's even more beautiful than I imagined." That's exactly why it's my goal to understand your vision.
Brumley and Bloom was born out of my love for creativity. I enjoy working with my hands and bringing charming, unique pieces to life. I love creating a magically visual experience that your guests will remember forever. They will remain in your pictures, so attention to every little detail is SO important to me. I am passionate about organic beauty and I think most would agree that flowers are the best source of this in the world.
Nothing makes me happier than collaborating with my clients and other creative entrepreneurs to build a unique event and unforgettable experience. I am a firm believer of treating others with kindness and choosing community over competition, after all... "a flower never thinks of competing to the flower next to it, it just blooms."
Episode 232: Why You Should Be Pitching Podcasts, with Brigitte Lyons - the Creative Empire podcast
Aug 23, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Brigitte Lyons, who is the Founder of the Boutique PR and Digital Marketing Agency B, where she helps emerging brands, authors and experts get known for their work. At the beginning of the episode, we hear all about how Brigitte got started with PR and the why behind nicheing down to podcasts in her business. We hear all about why PR is good as a business owner, plus the SEO implications because of it. Brigitte shares where you should start with PR and when the right time to start pitching yourself is. Lastly, she shares some tips for growing your confidence as you pitch yourself and how to streamline your pitching process.
Main Takeaways:
How Brigitte got started with PR work + podcasting [0:03:12]
What making the leap looked like for her [0:07:50]
Why PR is important for a business owner [0:10:21]
How + where to start with PR that is effective [0:15:25]
When it is the right time to start pitching yourself + how [0:24:23]
What the biggest thing to grow your pitching confidence [0:30:05]
The conversion rates off of a podcast listener are those percentage of people that listen and turn in buyers are much, much higher than any other media.
— Brigitte Lyons
Bio:
Brigitte Lyons is the founder of the boutique PR and digital marketing agency B, where she helps emerging brands, authors and experts get known for their work. While her roots are in In the past couple of years, Brigitte has shifted the focus of her agency to focus almost entirely on podcasts, because when it comes to audience engagement, there is no media opportunity out there that rivals podcasts right now. While her company is best known for repping author-entrepreneurs like Being Boss, Amber Rae and Danielle LaPorte, they have also worked with clients who’ve had little-to-no media coverage and gotten them on top podcasts like Entrepreneur on Fire, What Works and, yes, Creative Empire! On top of her agency leadership, Brigitte is passionate about teaching you how to do your own press outreach -- and that's why she's joined us today to talk about how you can book podcast interviews for your own business.
Episode 231: Creative + Converting Quizzes, with Chanti Zak - the Creative Empire podcast
Aug 20, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Chantelle Zakariasen, otherwise known as Chanti Zak. She is a conversion copywriter who creates quizzes that go beyond lead generation and work to strategically segment your list and give you the data you need to create knockout new products and services without having to guess. At the beginning of the episode, we hear what got Chanti interested in copywriting and creating quizzes. Not only does she share great tips for creating quizzes, she tells us how to get started with one and how to use it as a pre-qualifier for leads. Lastly, we hear the platforms Chanti promotes and how quizes can be, and should be, used hand-in-hand with facebook ads.
Main Takeaways:
How Chanti got into copywriting + creating quizzes [0:02:32[
What a conversion copywriter is [0:04:54]
What some best practices are for making quizzes [0:08:31]
How to get started with quizzes + tips to create good ones [0:13:17]
What questions to ask to pre-qualify the quiz takers [0:23:43]
How and when you should work with Chanti [0:26:36]
What resources Chanti promotes + the ROI with FB Ads [0:29:52]
Quizzes are fun first and foremost, and that’s why they’re so effective.
The more data you have on your audience, the better products you can create, the more your messaging will be on point, the more insight you’ll have into who they are and what they want.
— Chanti Zak
Bio:
Chanti is a conversion copywriter, lover of a good cab sav, collector of ornamental snails, and she's straight up obsessed with quizzes. Why? Because they get better results than any other lead magnet. Because they’re fun and they make people happy. Because—psychology is cool and you don’t have to have a Ph.D. to use it in your business. She creates quizzes that go beyond lead generation and work to strategically segment your list and give you the data you need to create knockout new products and services without having to guess. Learn more at chantizak.com.
Episode 230: How to Sell Through Serving, with Kelly Roach - the Creative Empire podcast
Aug 16, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Kelly Roach who is the host of the top rated podcast, Unstoppable Success Radio. She’s also an international bestselling author and the CEO of Kelly Roach Coaching, plus a former NFL cheerleader and Fortune 500 executive. She was promoted seven times in the eight years and she is bringing a powerful combination of proven and profitable business growth strategies, coupled with mindset wellness and productivity here to our show today. At the beginning of the episode, we hear all about the twists and turns of life with Kelly and how that has influenced her. She shares about why building a winning team is the biggest thing as an entrepreneur and how you should serve, while making money. The trip really get into what serving your audience should actually look like and the intention behind serving. Lastly, Kelly shares the first step for you to make money while serving. Check out the show notes below to grab a productivity resource from Kelly!
Main Takeaways:
How Kelly's background has influenced her life strategy [0:01:30]
What the biggest thing she helps her people with [0:05:55]
Why you should build a winning team [0:07:57]
How to serve and also make money [0:15:34]
Why you need to show up [0:20:39]
What it looks like to serve your audience to actually serve [0:24:59]
How to manage a Facebook group well [0:27:10]
What the first step to making money is [0:30:35]
I learned really, really quickly at a really early age that I had two choices in life; I was going to either accept no, we can’t afford it, or I was going to go out and hustle and I was going to go get it.
I always say start from where you are with what you’ve got, but start right away.
— Kelly Roach
Bio:
Kelly Roach is the host of the top rated podcast Unstoppable Success Radio, an International best-selling author, and the CEO of Kelly Roach Coaching. As a former NFL Cheerleader and Fortune 500 Executive where she was promoted 7 times in 8 years, Kelly brings a powerful combination of proven and profitable business growth strategies coupled with the mindset, wellness and productivity practices required to help entrepreneurs build a profitable business around a life they absolutely love. Kelly’s passion and purpose is in helping entrepreneurs around the world achieve exponential profit, sales and income growth. Kelly is on a mission to help 1 million people become financially free through her RESULTS coaching but also founded Campaign For Humanity, a charity initiative to support our global family with things such as clean drinking water, help for veterans, and food for those in need. You can check out Kelly’s philanthropy work and donate at www.kellyroachcoaching.com/givingback. Kelly runs business coaching programs, mastermind groups, online courses and does private consulting with individuals and organizations.
Episode 229: Fashion and Passion, with Neely and Chloe Burch - the Creative Empire podcast
Aug 13, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Neely and Chloe Burch. They believe luxury should never be out of reach and Chloe and Neely have sought to create a line of handbags, shoes, wallets and other accessories that redefine a luxury. At the beginning of the episode, we hear all about these two wonderful ladies and how they have found themselves running a business together. The duo discuss how they received funding and what some milestones have been for the both of them in business. The group chat about moving forward in business and Neely and Chloe are sharing how they have been data driven. Lastly, we hear what being on Oprah's list of favorite things was like and they give us an insider peek of the behind the scenes of their favorite pieces launching this fall.
Main Takeaways:
What their origin story is [0:02:07]
How they were funded for their launch [0:06:56]
How Chloe transitioned out of corporate [0:12:38]
What it is like to bring in a co-founder [0:14:30]
What some of their milestones in the growth of their business [0:17:55]
How they are moving forward in their businesses [0:21:36]
Why you should be looking at the data in your biz [0:23:07]
What being a part of Oprah's Favorite Things taught them [0:33:14]
What their favorite pieces out of their fall line [0:33:00]
We really threw ourselves into the deep end, we were really lucky to have some great people surrounding us who could teach us everything we needed to learn.
You always have to have kind of a plan B and stay on your toes.
— Chloe Burch
Bio:
We make precious things - items of quality and beauty - that are to be used for years. We believe that great design stirs our emotional connection to a product. That mark of luxury is not its price or a logo - it it the inherent beauty, quality and usefulness of something special and worth keeping. Luxury should never be out of reach. We have sought to create a line of handbags and shoes that redefines luxury. Based in New York City, Neely & Chloe is the eponymous creation of sisters Neely and Chloe Burch. Having graduated in 2013 and 2014 respectively, both sisters began a career in the fashion industry. Neely retrofitted a vintage Airstream trailer into a pop up boutique to travel the country’s rural and suburban college campuses, while Chloe cut her teeth at J. Crew as a merchant. Through these endeavours the sisters saw an opportunity to reimagine an archaic industry that encouraged low quality, unsustainable fast fashion. They found there was a void to be filled between affordable accessories and luxury brands. By renouncing the traditional retail model and selling exclusively to customers direct, Neely & Chloe are able to invest in quality, trust in design and believe that you deserve more.
Episode 228: Uncovering Emotions, with Amber Rae - the Creative Empire podcast
Aug 09, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are chatting with Amber Rae who has been called a ‘millennial motivator’ by Fortune and the ‘Brené Brown of wonder’ by Mind Body Green. She is an author, artist and speaker whose work invites you to live your truth, befriend your emotions and express your gifts, her writing blends raw personal story telling with actionable aha moments. Amber has helped launch six bestselling books as Chief Evangelist of Seth Godin’s publishing experiment and started an accelerator for your life called The Bold Academy. She lives in Brooklyn and around the world with her fiancé Farhad. At the beginning of the episode we learn quickly how we can connect with Amber. She shares about the consequences about not sharing emotions and how our mindset controls every aspect of our lives. The trio explore some tools for uncovering emptions. At the end of the episode, we hear about Amber's memorable moments during her book tour.
Main Takeaways:
Who Amber Rae really is + how her father's death influenced her [0:01:58]
What type of work Amber Rae does [0:05:41]
What the consequence of not exploring emotions [0:07:13]
How our mindset controls every aspect of our lives [0:12:11]
How she scaled her business [0:19:55]
Why talking about shame is helpful [0:24:35]
What some tools are for uncovering emotions [0:29:45]
What memorable moments have happened during her book tour [0:34:35]
Really, my life’s work is around the notion that our feelings are our friends, when we can learn to understand the messages in our emotions and learn to understand why they’re here, what they’re telling us and how we can work with them and become masters of them.
Our emotions, especially when we don’t look at them, they don’t disappear, they increase.
— Amber Rae
Bio:
Called a “Millennial Motivator” by Fortune and "The Brené Brown of Wonder” by Mind Body Green, Amber Rae is an author, artist, and speaker whose work invites you to live your truth, befriend your emotions, and express your gifts. Her writing blends raw, personal storytelling with actionable aha! moments and has reached more than 5 million people in 195 countries. Her public art has spread to more than 20 countries, and she's spoken to and collaborated with brands like Kate Spade, Apple, Amazon, and Unilever. Amber has been featured in The New York Times, TIME, Fast Company, BBC, ABC World News, Tim Ferriss's blog, and more. Previously, Amber helped launch six best-selling books as Chief Evangelist of Seth Godin's publishing experiment and started an "accelerator for your life" called The Bold Academy. She lives in Brooklyn and around the world with her fiancé, Farhad.
Episode 227: Entrepreneurship Abroad, with Cassandra Le - the Creative Empire podcast
Aug 06, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are chatting with Cassandra Le who is the curator and the content strategist and copywriter behind the Quirky Pineapple Studio which is a virtual studio that provides copywriting, content creation, brand strategy, all that and more for the creative souls and the tourism and hospitality industry. In this episode, Cassandra dives right in, chatting about the Quirky Pineapple and how she decided to take her business abroad. We learn all about what content strategy is and what some of the biggest content mistakes she sees are. Lastly, she shares about lliving abroad and having her business abroad looks like and how hard it can be personally.
Main Takeaways:
How the Quirky Pineapple Studio started [0:01:44]
How she decided to move abroad and what it looks like [0:04:59]
What does her work look like + what is a content strategist [0:07:10]
How to audit the analytics [0:11:24]
What some big content mistakes are [0:13:03]
Why you should find your brand values + creating a brand [0:16:49]
What owning a business in a different country is like [0:21:43]
How to cultivate relationships in a different culture [0:25:55]
Why she took a social media detox [0:31:35]
Content creation doesn’t need to be a new thing every single time and I think the more we kind of create templates for all of the stuff that we want to create.
The biggest thing that I have learned so far (in business and moving abroad) is to really be patient.
— Cassandra Le
Bio:
Cassandra Le is a copywriter and content strategist. She is the creator of The Quirky Pineapple Studio, a virtual studio providing copywriting, content creation, and brand strategy for creative souls in the tourism and hospitality industry. She crafts words that help get your business seen online and in person! After years working in the tourism and hospitality industry, she now helps business owners get noticed, build communities of loyal clients, and create content that connects. When she's not chugging away on her laptop, she's usually exploring her new adopted city, Madrid, traveling with her boyfriend, and either looking for the best street food or gallivanting through cobble-stoned streets for the perfect Instagram shot! *wink*
Episode 226: Overcoming Sugar Addiction, with Sherry Strong - the Creative Empire podcast
Aug 02, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Sherry Strong who is an award-winning speaker, chef, nutritionist, food philosopher and she has traveled through the journey of sugar addiction. She is the Victorian chair of Nutrition Australia, the Melbourne president of Slow Food, and the co-founder of the World Wellness Summit. At the beginning of the episode, Sherry shares all about her addiction with sugar and how she has coped with it. She explains how sugar is like a drug, what it does to the body, and some of the symptoms of sugar addiction. The trio dicuss how hard it is to overcome food and Sherry explains that you just have to start somewhere, that no one is perfect. Lastly, we hear some of the sucess stories that Sherry has had, moving people away from their sugar addictions.
Main Takeaways:
How Sherry has struggled with sugar addiction + where she is now [0:01:45]
What sugar does to the body + symptoms [0:07:04]
What the detox process looks like [0:15:49]
Why perfection is the enemy of progress + how to move forward [0:20:28]
Why you should start, even when you are not ready [0:28:52]
What some of the biggest success stories Sherry has had [0:30:22]
Sugar is a drug. It requires us to have a strategy, not a diet.
The most important stories are the everyday people like myself who sugar was their kryptonite and they actually thought it was impossible to give it up and now, they would actually say that they are stronger than sugar and they have sweet freedom in their life.
— Sherry Strong
Bio:
Sherry is an award-winning Speaker, Chef, Nutritionist, Food Philosopher. She was the Victorian Chair of Nutrition Australia, Melbourne President of Slow Food and the Co-Founder of the World Wellness Summit. She has worked with elite athletes, billionaires, celebrities, CEO’s and everyday folk like herself to transform the way they relate to food and their body. Sherry is the founder and the creator of the Sweet Freedom Project – which includes a multi-media transformational platform dedicated to helping people get sugar-free naturally for life.
Episode 225: Empire Mentoring Session: Where to Start, with Sam Harris - the Creative Empire podcast
Jul 30, 2018
Reina and Christina are back today with a mentoring session with Sam Harris. Sam is the lead VA and Founder of The Executive Studio, a studio that really helps passionate girl bosses and helping them run their businesses more efficiently. As we dive in, we're going to be talking a little bit about the concept of done is better than perfect, investing in your business, and other topics that will help you also grow your business. At the beginning of the episode, we hear about where Sam currently is with her business and what she is struggling with. Reina chats about social glue and how creating connections with people is so important. Christina talks about the idea of quality over quantity, but also just starting. Lastly, the trio chat about responding to "no's" and how to keep track of connections in your business.
Main Takeaways:
How she started her business + where it is right now [0:01:28]
Why Social Glue is helpful for business + creating connections [0:04:35]
What to focus on when just starting your business [0:14:45]
Why quality is better than quantity [0:20:47]
How to respond to a "no" [0:23:21]
Why you should be keeping track of connections [0:31:26]
Don’t let that giant website project stop you from going out and getting clients, getting results for those people, to get testimonials from people and getting you paid. That is the most important thing to prove that you have a concept that’s really going to work and it’s going to fly once you do have a website.
I think quality is one of the greatest assets that you can have at the beginning of your business before you have scaled up and you’ve gotten to a level where that’s just not possible anymore.
— Christina Scalera
Bio:
Sam Harris is the lead VA and founder of The Executive Studio ("TES"). TES serves passionate girl bosses in helping them run their business efficiently and effectively through professional virtual assistant services and business support. We make it our mission to connect with creatives from all walks of life and love to provide inspiration and encouragement to those on a quest to turn their dreams into reality.
Episode 224: Submissions They Can’t Say No To, with Meghan Stolar Brown - the Creative Empire podcast
Jul 26, 2018
Reina and Christina are talking to Meghan Stolar Brown who is the manager of Two Bright Lights. She is super passionate about creating a platform to help event pros just like you, grow their brands and lead by connecting with publishers and other vendors. At the beginning of the episode, Meghan dives right in and chats all about Two Bright Lights and the strategy behind good submissions! The trio talk about honing in on your uniqueness and how that can help differentiate your work. Meghan then shares what the perfect pitch consists of for a Two Bright Lights submission. Lastly, we hear why being published is important and we hear Meghan's predictions for the wedding industry.
Main Takeaways:
What Two Bright Lights is + the strategy behind submissions [0:01:15]
What the 3 things are that create the best submissions [0:03:50]
How to hone in on uniqueness [0:08:00]
What TwoBrightLights brings to their clients [0:14:13]
What a perfect pitch looks like for getting published [0:16:34]
Why publishing is important + diversifying [0:26:49]
What predictions for the creative wedding industry is [0:33:38]
Getting published is awesome and getting your work out there in front of new people is great. But your goal is to serve your clients first and foremost.
Show (your audience) exactly what they’re going to get. If you’re not putting yourself out there you need to start because it is not just about how amazing your work is.
— Meghan Stolar Brown
Bio:
Meghan Stolar Brown, Manager of Two Bright Lights, is passionate about creating a platform to help event professionals grow their brand and leads by connecting with publishers and other vendors. She has extensive marketing and event management experience at companies like Antony Todd Events and Roubini Global Economics, and understands the challenges and opportunities creative entrepreneurs face. Growing up with a booking agent and a wedding band leader for parents, there is no doubt that marketing and events are in Meghan’s DNA. Her love for music and events grew from singing and playing piano as a toddler, to performing in recording studios and at weddings and events in the years since. Meghan holds a degree in Music Business from New York University, and lives in New York with her husband and (if everything goes her way) their future dog, “Chet”.
Episode 223: Cloning Your Best Clients, with Heidi Thompson - the Creative Empire podcast
Jul 23, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are chatting with Heidi Thompson. Heidi is the bestselling author of Clone your Best Clients and the Founder of Evolve Your Wedding Business, where she specializes in business and marketing strategy for wedding professionals. At the beginning of the episode, we hear how Heidi first got into marketing strategy. We hear all about what she loves about marketing in the wedding industry and the gaps she is seeing there. She also shares the biggest mistakes in wedding marketing and the why (and how) behind setting yourself apart.
Main Takeaways:
How Heidi got into marketing strategy [0:01:23]
What she loves about marketing in the wedding industry + gaps [0:04:16]
How to talk to your ideal client + keeping track of it [0:10:49]
What the biggest mistakes in wedding marketing are [0:14:13]
Why you have to set yourself apart [0:21:09]
What the top 3 things are for awareness [0:34:14]
Anytime you can make your marketing useful, it’s going to resonate so much more than just, ‘Work with me, work with me, have you hired me yet?’
You don’t have to worry about anybody that isn’t your ideal client. It’s pretty freeing.
— Heidi Thompson
Bio:
Heidi Thompson is the best-selling author of Clone Your Best Clients and the founder of Evolve Your Wedding Business where she specializes in business and marketing strategy for wedding professionals. She helps wedding professionals grow their businesses and reach their goals without going crazy in the process. Her business & marketing expertise has been featured on several wedding and business outlets including The Huffington Post, Social Media Examiner, Wedding Business Magazine, Sprouting Photographer, Photo Biz Xposed, Honeybook, WeddingWire World & she’s an advisory board member for the UK Academy Of Wedding & Event Planning. You can also join her and lots of other wedding professionals just like you in The Evolve Your Wedding Business Facebook Community.
Episode 222: Mentoring Session, Finding Your Message + Focus, with Omishan Ogholoh Williams - the Creative Empire podcast
Jul 19, 2018
Today we have another mentoring session for you! Today Reina and Christina are talking to Omishan Ogholoh Williams of Adesuwa Events; a New Orleans-based wedding consulting business. She’s not a wedding planner, so this is going to be a super fun conversation. They're talking about how to stay motivated when you’re not seeing a lot of traction. At the beginning of the episode, we hear about Adesuwa Events and what Omishan has been struggling with. Christina and Reina dive deep to ask Omishan the hard questions about her business, like her ideal audience and what her unique value proposition are. The trio discuss many apspects of her business!
Main Takeaways:
What Adesuwa Events does + her struggles [0:01:19]
Why location is important as a wedding planner/event planner [0:07:23]
Where her strategy and focus should be [0:08:30]
Why you need to find a unique value proposition (UVP) [0:13:54]
What her biggest hurdle is + how to solve it [0:20:54]
How disrupting can help you market [0:25:36]
When you plan your wedding, you’re using so many tools that will propel you through your marriage.
You need to help them feel that pain now, not because you’re a mean person, but because you’re trying to help them out of that later situation.
— Christina Scalera
Bio:
Omishan Williams is the owner of Adesuwa Events, a New Orleans based wedding consulting business where she provides intentional guidance and direction to couples who desire to plan their own weddings. She works with them to help organize their plan and streamline the chaos that sometimes goes along with wedding planning. Her mission is to bring fulfillment and provide guidance to couples going through their wedding planning journeys while preparing for marriage more special than their wedding. Omishan is a pharmacist by education, a wife, and a lover of all things organized. She loves traveling, good food and wine, and celebrating all of life's special moments.
Episode 221: Letterpress + Staying True to Yourself, with Britt Rohr - the Creative Empire podcast
Jul 16, 2018
Christina and Reina are talking today with Britt Rohr of Swell Press, Swell Press is a boutique design and letter press company inspired by everything southern California. At the beginning of the episode, Britt shares how she got started with Swell Press and explains all about what letterpressing is! She explains how she makes sure to stand out in her industry, by staying in her own lane and using nature to influence her work. The trio discuss the hustle mentality and we hear how Britt balances hustle with time to herself. Lastly, they discuss spending your time on things that you should be and how to hire out effectively.
Main Takeaways:
How Britt got started with Swell Press + how growth happened [0:01:21]
What switching to a full time business + what a letter press is [0:03:49]
How to stand out in your industry [0:15:07]
What staying true to your own style looks like [0:21:01]
How to combat the hustle mentality [0:25:44]
How to figure out where to spend your time + hiring out [0:29:59]
It’s never the ‘right’ time. Not everything is going to be lined up where you’re like, ‘Okay, section A, B and C of my life are perfectly aligned right now so now it’s time. I’m going to take this risk.’
I really try not to look at what other people are doing because I want my design inspiration to come from a place that is so true to me.
— Britt Rohr
Bio:
Founded by letterpress maven Britt Rohr in 2014, Swell Press is a boutique design and letterpress company inspired by the salt water, Strand, sunsets, and palm trees of Southern California. From one-of-a-kind wedding and event invitation suites to sleek and sophisticated stationery and business cards, every single paper product that leaves Swell Press’ studio doors is a true, intricate and original work of art, featuring signature Swell Press designs like ombré and neon edge painting, hand- painted water color borders, and custom dip dye. Under Britt’s masterful creative direction, Swell Press’s letterpress creations are an artfully crafted, individualized adventure from start to finish.
Episode 220: Blogging as a Business, with Bree Pair - the Creative Empire podcast
Jul 12, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined today by Bree Pair, who began blogging in 2011. After three years of being part of being part of the blogging community, she saw the different areas where bloggers were in need of knowledge to turn their blogs into full-time businesses. She founded a conference called Thrive in 2014 on her passion for seeing others succeed. That passion has driven her to continue leading and growing the Thrive conference to reach and educate even more bloggers.
Main Takeaways:
What inspired her to take her business on the road [0:02:12]
How the day-to-day looks like for them as they travel + her favorite places [0:05:19]
How she is running her business from the road [0:07:53]
What some tools are to get ahead of schedule [0:10:21]
What the Thrive Conference is [0:14:31]
Who her teams consists of + most important member [0:20:40]
Where to get more eyeballs on your content + growing [0:25:18]
What trends + changes she has seen [0:29:46]
How her conference has grown organically [0:32:39]
Quarterly planning has been a game changer. It helps us to look ahead and say, ‘Okay. Where do we want to grow?’
What’s going to create that connection and make people keep coming back to learn from you is knowing a little bit more about you, and everybody is different.
— Bree Pair
Bio:
Breanna began blogging in 2011 and continued to blog because of the community. After three years of being a part of that community, she saw the different areas where bloggers were in need of the knowledge to turn their blogs into full-time businesses. Once Thrive was founded in 2014, her passion for seeing others succeed was fueled. That passion has driven her to continue leading and growing Thrive to reach and educate even more bloggers. Breanna is currently traveling around the country with her husband, Brannon, in their travel trailer. They’re enjoying working from the road and meeting bloggers and other entrepreneurs during their travels. You can follow her @breepair on Instagram.
Episode 219: Maximizing Efficiency with Systems, with Jordan Gill - the Creative Empire podcast
Jul 09, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Jordan Gill of The Kolada Group, she is also the host behind The System Saves Me podcasts. At the beginning of the episode, Jordan dives right in and talks about how the Kolada Group was started. She shares about how she transitioned from working a corporate job, to running her own business. The trio then chat about Jordan attending over 30 events last year and Jordan shares how she makes that happen and why in-person events are important to her. Lastly, they discuss systems that help make her wants a reality and what her triple-threat program is.
Main Takeaways:
What the Kolada Group is + how she started [0:01:40]
How Jordan attended over 30 events in 2017 [0:06:26]
How to find events + affording them with prioritization [0:14:04]
How systems have organized her enough to attend events regularly [0:21:36]
What the triple threat is + getting started [0:27:30]
I love pouring into people and I actually really like to meet people offline, which was kind of a struggle at the beginning of my business.
Clients will rule your whole world if you allow them to.
— Jordan Gill
Bio:
Operations Consultant, Founder of The Kolada Group, and Host of the Systems Saved Me Podcast, Jordan Gill takes pride in saving hours (even days) around time-sucking technology decisions and an untrained team. She has been on the stages of She's Building Her Empire, Creative CEO Conference, Success Without Sacrifice, Blog Like a Boss Brunch, and Vision Casting while also being featured in Belong Magazine! Jordan is known for her buzzworthy client onboarding experience for service-based business owners that only takes 5 minutes! She also teaches her P.R.E. process for onboarding team members to set your team up for success in 30 minutes. No more bad hires! Jordan lives in Dallas and loves to indulge in some true southern bbq. Learn more about Jordan at www.thekoladagroup.com
Episode 218: Batching + Focus, with Elle Drouin - the Creative Empire podcast
Jul 05, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Elle Drouin. Elle is a New York City based product stylist photographer and digital marketing strategist. After several years working as a director of marketing and digital strategy for ecommerce brands, Elle has launched her own business to focus on helping other women-build brands that are as profitable as they are pretty. At the beginning of the episode, we learn how Elle's background in finance has helped shape her and helped her in her path to her current business. Elle shares about the three main facets to her business and how she manages to fit them all together. The trio talk about stock photos and the fear of posting the same thing as others and Elle shares some options for making stock photos personalized. Lastly, Elle chats about how she stays focused by batching each week of the month differently in her business.
Main Takeaways:
How Elle's background has shaped her [0:01:54]
What brand opportunities include + lessons learned [0:07:18]
How to make multiple facets of business fit together [0:12:54]
What churn rate is + video stock [0:14:41]
How to combat the fear of differentiating your stock photos [0:18:58]
What creative ways she has seen her stock photos used [0:22:46]
What helps build her business + how she focuses [0:24:39]
What the weeks in her business look like [0:35:27]
I try to batch related tasks for all of the businesses at the same time.
During my content creation week, I’m very, very strategic in the way that I create contact because I’m creating so much content.
— Elle Drouin
Bio:
Elle Drouin is a NYC-based product stylist, photographer, and digital marketing strategist. After several years working as the Director of Marketing & Digital Strategy for e-commerce brands, Elle launched her own business to focus on helping other women build brands that are as profitable as they are pretty. In addition to creating custom imagery for beauty and lifestyle brands, Elle is the founder of the Styled Stock Society, a stylish stock photography membership for female entrepreneurs. Elle is also the social media director for her Instagram-famous dog @mochiandthecity (who is far more popular than she'll ever be). Elle and Mochi have been featured on Entrepreneur, Refinery29, and the TODAY Show and have collaborated with brands like American Express, Disney, Google, and The Ritz-Carlton. When she's not styling, shooting, or strategizing, you can find Elle binge-watching Bravo TV, hoarding gold office supplies, or eating her way through Brooklyn with her husband Zach.
Episode 217: Focus On Doing Less Better, with Ashley Gartland - the Creative Empire podcast
Jul 02, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are talking with business coach, Ashley Gartland. She works with women entrepreneurs who business is doing pretty well, but who feel like a hot mess behind the scenes. Ashley jumps right into the episode, chatting about how she found herself in the coaching world. The trio discuss intentional growth and the why behind business owners wanting fast growth. She shares why you have to define your own measurement of success and why staying focused will help you reach your goals. We hear about some timeless marketing stratgies to focus on and tools to help you stop feeling like a mess behind the scenes. Lastly, Ashley talks about how far holds us back as entrepreneurs and how to combat it.
Main Takeaways:
How Ashley got into the coaching world [0:01:43]
What the process of intentional business planning looks like [0:04:22]
Why people seem to want fast growth [0:06:28]
How to define what success or intentionality looks like [0:07:51]
How to stay on focus [0:12:36]
When should you be working on growth activity [0:15:28]
What some timeless marketing strategies are + tracking [0:20:44]
What some tools are to stop feeling like a hot mess [0:25:53]
How fear can impact our business [0:29:33]
Yeah, we take the big picture view and then we’d break it down into very small bite size goals that [you] can actually tackle week to week.
Ashley Gartland became an entrepreneur the day she graduated college and has been enjoying the perks of the lifestyle ever since. As a business coach, she works with women entrepreneurs whose business is doing well but who feel a hot mess behind the scenes - and they know it's holding them back from reaching the next level. She helps them simplify their business and build a stronger foundation so they can experience more growth and fulfillment in their work and more freedom in their life. Before launching her coaching practice, Ashley spent a decade working in public relations, magazine publishing, copywriting, digital publishing and event planning. As a writer, she contributed to high-profile magazines such as O, The Oprah Magazine, Runner’s World, Sunset and Prevention and honed her editorial skills at successful digital media brands including Tasting Table and PureWow. She is also a published author twice-over. Ashley is passionate about helping women drop the cookie cutter approaches and instead grow their business their way through the lens of simplicity. She is a Certified Life Coach who received her training through The Life Coach School. Ashley lives in Portland, Oregon, where she spends her time outside work trail running and raising two little girls.
Episode 216: Recurring Revenue, with Terra Dawn - the Creative Empire podcast
Jun 28, 2018
Today Reina and Christina are talking with Terra Dawn who is the owner of the Uncork Your Dork website and membership site. At the beginning of the episode, we hear about how Terra created Uncork Your Dork and what caused her to create a membership site. We learn all about recurring revenue and why it can be an important stabilizer in your businesses income. Terra shares ideas of types of recurring revenue and how tech ties into it. Lastly, the trio talk all about membership sites and learn the best sites Terra has seen work.
Main Takeaways:
How Uncork Your Dork got started [0:01:36]
Why recurring revenue is important + what recurring revenue is [0:03:23]
What some examples of recurring revenue is [0:08:30]
What putting something out into the world like this is like [0:11:51]
How tech + complex tech ties in [0:13:12]
Why recurring revenue through membership sites is the best [0:20:59]
What churn is + how to combat it [0:24:01]
What some membership sites Terra has seen work [0:28:14]
Sometimes you tend to fall in love with your hobby and your hobby shouldn’t become your business.
If someone is telling you that this is the only way to launch your membership site or to run your membership site, this is the only way your membership site will work, then you are listening to the wrong person.
— Terra Dawn
Bio:
Terra Dawn is the owner, operator and head dork over at the UncorkYourDork website! In addition to publishing frequent articles to the blog, she runs the Wham! Bam! Business Plan membership site to help show budding entrepreneurs the SIMPLE path to creating a dependable and recurring revenue in their small business. Whether memberships are up your alley or something slightly more simple...like paid newsletters or masterminds, Terra is dedicated to helping business owners leave the launch to launch mentality behind them.
Episode 215: Gaining Confidence With Video, with Trena Little - the Creative Empire podcast
Jun 25, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are chatting with YouTube strategist, Trena Little. Trena helps online business owners create video content strategy that works for your business. At the beginning of the episode we learn how Trena got started in her business and what some of her tips are for starting to create video content. She shares what her workflow looks like for batching videos, plus gives us an idea of what having a YouTube strategy looks like. The trio discuss hangups of getting on video and we learn why YouTube is the most effective video content solution.
Main Takeaways:
How Trena got started with her business [0:01:32]
What her tips are for first starting videos + hang ups [0:03:32]
What some YouTube workflows look like + prepping for video [0:08:12]
What does it look like to have a YouTube strategy [0:13:33]
Why YouTube is more effective [0:15:01]
How to stay consistent with videos [0:18:18]
Who should be on YouTube [0:22:55]
What is the first thing to do to get started + accountability [0:25:56]
Why focus on YouTube [0:32:58]
The people you need to connect to, the people that need what you are teaching, will find you.
These first couple videos, let them be ugly, and at least you’re going ugly early and you’re getting them done. I should put more content out, those ugly videos will start to get buried under your older content.
— Trena Little
Bio:
As a video and Youtube strategist, Trena helps online business owners create a video content strategy that works for their business. Being a busy business owner herself, she understands the importance of making video simple and painless but effective and lasting. Her Youtube videos are her sales team and they do the heavy lifting for free! When she’s not in front of a camera, she’s in her “mom-iform” of yoga pants and a tee chasing her 2 kids around alongside her husband, her high school sweetheart.
Episode 214: The Rainbow of Sales, with Courtney Johnston - the Creative Empire podcast
Jun 21, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Courtney Johnston, who is the founder of The Rule Breaker’s Club. She teaches women how to package and sell their brilliance. At the beginning of the episode, we hear all about how and why Courtney started the Rule Breaker's Club. She shares with us why you should be packaging your services and what her rainbow of sales concept is. The trio discuss engaging with your audience as well as getting clarity from them. Lastly, Courtney shares about sales pages and how to show some personality in your business.
Main Takeaways:
How the Rule Breaker's Club was started + what she does [0:01:31]
What a service package is + the rainbow of sales concept [0:07:11]
How to engage with your audience [0:13:39]
How to offer solutions for your audience [0:22:59]
How to craft your rainbow [0:25:46]
Why a sales page is important [0:29:52]
How to showcase your personality in your business [0:36:04]
You’ve got to find the language that (your ideal clients are) laying awake, frustrated, having anxious thoughts about, that’s the language that you need to show that you understand.
If you’re in newer stages of business should absolutely be offering services. It’s way easier way to start making money than products. Go ahead and do your products, but just know the services are the lower hanging-fruit.
— Courtney Johnson
Bio:
Courtney Johnston is the founder of The Rule Breaker's Club where she teaches women how to package and sell their brilliance. She’s pretty much the only person who can make writing sales pages fun (hint: it involves rainbows and pots of gold). Her work has been featured on Inc.com, FastCompany.com, CreativeLive, and the Huffington Post. She’s from Michigan, started her business in Paris, and currently lives in Vancouver, BC with her fiancé, Mohammed. Learn Courtney’s 14-part sales page recipe at www.RuleBreakersClub.com.
Episode 213: An Intentionally Designed Work Week, with Cailen Ascher - the Creative Empire podcast
Jun 18, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Cailen Ascher who is a lifestyle design expert and the creator of the 3-Day Workweek. he mostly helps women bring intentional design into their lives and businesses that they can stop living by default and start creating success on their own terms. We start the episode with Cailen describing what exactly intentional design is and the mindset behind having a purposely designed life. She shares with us what her work week looks like and talks about the team that she has. Lastly, Cailen shares why it is important to give yourself time to pause.
Main Takeaways:
What intentional design is + the mindset behind a designed life [0:01:22]
What her team looks like + what her schedule look like [0:05:59]
How to make time for yourself [0:10:45]
How to get to a 3-Day Workweek [0:13:17]
What living by design vs. living by default is [0:18:38]
How to give yourself time to pause [0:23:36]
‘Why do I think the only way to be successful is to work 24/7, sacrifice my time with my new baby to build this business?’ It didn’t resonate with me.
We have to make what might feel like uncomfortable decisions in the moment, but ultimately can serve us better.
— Cailen Ascher
Bio:
Cailen Ascher is a Lifestyle Design Expert and creator of the 3-Day Workweek Program. Through her programs, products and coaching, she helps women bring intentional design into their lives and businesses so that they can stop living by default and start creating success on their terms. Cailen and her work have been spotlighted in Business Insider, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur on Fire, The Create Podcast, MindBodyGreen, Gary Vaynerchuk’s One-a-Day Q&A, and dozens of other podcasts and popular publications. During her 4-day weekends Cailen enjoys time with her two little daughters and husband. Get her free 3-Day Workweek Schedule at www.CailenAscher.com.
Episode 212: Handlettering By Hand, with Nicole Miyuki Santo - the Creative Empire podcast
Jun 14, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Nicole Miyuki Santo, who is a freelance artist, graphic designer, teacher and now published author. We are so excited to talk to her about her book By Hand, which if you guys have not picked up a copy of this yet, it is the most gorgeous thing you have ever seen. Nicole started in the modern calligraphy scene fairly early and at the beginning of this episode we hear how that happened. Nicole shares about her book and what the creative process looked like for it, behind the scenes. She gets really vulnerable and talks about how the journey has made her have feelings that may not have always felt good, but also shares the exciting moments along the way. Towards the end of the episode, the trio discuss what happiness can look like in business and how that can differ for everyone.
Main Takeaways:
How she got started in modern calligraphy scene in 2015 [0:01:54]
Why she wrote a book + what the creative process looked like [0:04:40]
What encouragement she has for people to try handlettering [0:10:27]
What some exciting moments were along the book writing journey [0:13:03]
Why feelings can process after projects [0:21:21]
What having a different scale of success looks like [0:30:31]
What some happy things that are happening for her [0:36:04]
What’s cool was that hand lettering has shifted twofold from being this stiff calligraphic type of thing, to more of an approachable thing, medium and art form that everyone can do, and I fully believe that.
I had to learn to say no to a lot of things to allow space for the funkiness of the creative journey and the awesome parts of the creative journey to all happen.
— Nicole Santo
Bio:
Nicole Miyuki Santo is a freelance artist, graphic designer, teacher, and published author. Since 2015, she has taught in-person hand-lettering workshops empowering her students to tap into their creativity and develop their own unique voice. She is a kind spirit and truly believes that everyone, kids and adults both, can enjoy using their own two hands to create. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including Martha Stewart Magazine, and she is the author of By Hand: The Art of Modern Lettering. Nicole lives in Los Angeles, California. Visit her online at nicolemiyuki.com and on Instagram @nicolemiyuki.
Episode 211: Journaling + Growth, with Cheryl Sutherland - the Creative Empire podcast
Jun 11, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined with Cheryl Sutherland, who is the founder behind PleaseNotes, a for-purpose company of affirmation-filled products, like journals, and notebooks and just everything stationary that makes our hearts sing. At the beginning of the episode, Cheryl dives in to tell us all about how PleaseNotes got started! She shares why taking time for yourself is important and what made her make the decision to have a physical product and not sell a service. We learn about how journaling can be useful and how to run a business that is driven by purpose. Towards the end of the episode, the trio discuss networking and why you need to do it well.
Main Takeaways:
How PleaseNotes got started + who is using her products [0:01:12]
Why taking time for yourself is a critical part of your business [0:05:33]
What made her choose a physical product over a service [0:07:20]
What does a PleaseNotes Journal offer you [0:09:20]
How to overcome business hurdles + stepping back [0:11:40]
Why journaling can help transition periods [0:14:00]
How her business is driven by purpose [0:19:23]
What her business days look like [0:24:18]
How the Law of Attraction works [0:27:15]
Why networking events can be a great place [0:32:35]
There are so many things and so many times that we just don’t take the time for ourselves where journaling, it’s so vulnerable you’re able to connect so honestly with yourself in that way where it’s so important.
The biggest thing that I’ve ever learned is how to listen to my gut and what certain feelings mean and what they feel like.
— Cheryl Sutherland
Bio:
Cheryl Sutherland is the Founder of PleaseNotes, a for-purpose company of affirmation-filled products. Creator Cheryl felt restless and underwhelmed at her 9 to 5. After spending over 1400 hours in learning and facilitating personal development, coaching, and reigniting her inner creativity, Cheryl created a company that inspires women to step into their own power by building confidence, clarity, and creativity. In 2016, Cheryl started her company with one item, the PleaseNotes Sticky Note, and fully launched the brand with a successful Kickstarter campaign. Since then, PleaseNotes has expanded to include a suite of products that cater to customers worldwide, including Spain, UK, Canada, Latin America and Asia. Each purchase contributes 10% of the profits to support women empowerment initiatives in her local community. PleaseNotes has been endorsed by renowned changemakers Les Brown and Monique Coleman with the words, “This is a gift, this is special and extraordinary and deserves to be shared with the world.” As a women's empowerment expert and entrepreneur, Cheryl Sutherland and PleaseNotes have been featured InStyle, Huffington Post, Fast Company, American Express OPEN Forum, Thrive Global, Youngry, and StandOut Publications. Cheryl resides in between Los Angeles and Toronto, Ontario.
Episode 210: Funnels + Automations, with Kate Boyd - the Creative Empire podcast
Jun 07, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Kate Boyd of Cobblestone Creative Co., a digital marketing agency that creates marketing strategies and content handcrafted for higher conversions. In three years, Kate has built three profitable online businesses. At the beginning of the episode, we hear how Kate got started with funnels in her line of work. She share funnel mistakes she sees business owners making and what reverse engineering a funnel looks like. The trio discuss tracking in your business and how to give permission. Towards the end of the episode, Kate dives into her podcast and the why behind creating it.
Main Takeaways:
How Kate got started with funnels [0:01:35]
What funnel mistakes online business owners are creating [0:04:09]
What are some best practices for validation [0:06:08]
What reverse engineering a funnel looks like [0:07:37]
How to track what is working in your business [0:09:57]
What are some of the best things she has seen in funnels [0:15:41]
What should your timeline look like + permission [0:19:50]
Why you should care about the lifetime of a client [0:22:32]
How do funnels actually help your business [0:28:57]
Why Kate created a podcast [0:32:28]
The copy-and-paste funnel thing might get you some people coming through, but it won’t do its best.
Every funnel will take time and that’s something that everyone forgets as well, is that maybe it converts on day one and that’s amazing, but a lot of times, they may convert on day one, but it’s really low and then you’re still trying to tweak and optimize, so that you can step back. Giving yourself that space and setting the expectations is really important.
— Kate Boyd
[TRANSCRIPT]
Bio:
Kate Boyd is the founder of Cobblestone Creative Co., a digital marketing agency that creates marketing strategies and content, hand-crafted for higher conversions. In 3 years, she has built 3 profitable online businesses and created marketing and sales systems that convert up to 5x the normal rates. Kate combines a journalism degree, 3 years of online business experience, and 5+ years in non-profit marketing to support others as they grow, nurture, and mobilize their tribes so they can have success and time to enjoy it too. You can learn more about Kate and the Cobblestone team at cobblestonecreativeco.
Episode 209: Jam Session, with Reina + Christina, Types of Offers to Create in Your Biz - the Creative Empire podcast
Jun 04, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are talking today about different leads that you can make money. If you are struggling to figure out what to offer to the market that you have decided to serve, this is the episode for you. Hang tight as they discuss what is going to build your business, what is going to drive traffic to your site, and most importantly what is going to pay the bills so that you can continue to build your creative empire.
Main Takeaways:
How digital downloads were Christina's first money maker [0:02:11]
What the types of offerings are online [0:05:25]
How done for you services are what Christina likes [0:07:43]
How to use affiliate programs [0:09:31]
How you can have pop-up services [0:15:47]
What passive offers can look like [0:20:33]
What product offers can look like + drop shipping [0:25:35]
How you can use licensing [0:30:28]
Marketing your services in a different way that just really gets to the heart of what the person that you’re trying to serve is really looking for support and help around.
You, as the content creator, are packing it up to create shortcuts for your consumer so that they don’t have to look for thousands of hours’ worth of podcast content.
— Reina Pomeroy
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Episode 208: Empire Mentoring Session, Walking Through An Idea Launch, with Andrea Rhoades - the Creative Empire podcast
May 31, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined with Andrea Rhoades for an empire mentoring session. Andrea is the creator of Selfies to Selfless, which is a site that empowers new-ish moms, and her writing has been featured on Scary Mommy, Huffington Post, Badassery Magazine, parent.co and other online publications. At the beginning of the episode, we hear what idea Andrea would like some help with. Throughout the episode, Reina and Christina ask questions that help Andrea get really clear about her offer. The trio talk about beta testing and beta pricing, as well as pricing your offer.
Main Takeaways:
What Andrea is working on + needs help with [0:01:42]
How to get feedback on an idea [0:07:44]
Where to put a "coming soon" area [0:11:59]
Why to use beta-testing + feedback [0:16:23]
How to choose a year-long vs monthly pricing structure [0:22:15]
What the next steps are for Andrea [0:27:06]
What pricing will look like + finding loyal customers [0:27:46]
Keep it simple, don’t do more work than you need to do.
[The] next step is to make sure I’m scaling way down and way back, instead of getting too big, and just really going forward and setting this thing up and even if it’s just for a small group, to just get going.
— Andrea Rhoades
Bio:
Andrea Rhoades is the creator of Selfies to Selfless, a site that empowers new(ish) moms. Her writing has been featured on Scary Mommy, Huffington Post, Badassery Magazine, Parent.co and other online publications. She's on a mission to bring knowledge, community and laughter to moms who are in the first few years of motherhood. Because being a mom is hard AF. Andrea lives in the midwest with her husband and two kids and when she isn't writing about the excitement of tracking her kid's bowel movements, she works full-time as an analyst at an insurance company.
Episode 207: Building a Physical Product Based Business + Self-Care, with Jaime Schmidt - the Creative Empire podcast
May 28, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Jaime Schmidt, the founder of Schmidt's Naturals. At the beginning, Jaime dives into the story about how Schmidt's was founded and how it has grown to so much more than what she had imagined. She talks about what has st her company apart and how creating a culture around your brand is beneficial. One thing that Schmidt's has done, is made their products accessible so that everyone can have access, so they rarely say no to a retailer. Towards the middle of the episode, the trio chat about self-care and what that looks like for different people. Lastly, Jaime shares about the struggles of being a physical product based business and how they managed scaling.
Main Takeaways:
How Schmidt's Naturals started [0:01:49]
What set their company apart [0:06:42]
How to create a culture around your brand [0:08:46]
What Schmidt's has done to make products accessible [0:09:46]
How to manage self-care [0:14:48]
What some of the hardest part of building a physical product business [0:18:24]
What the beginning of Schmidt's looked like [0:19:49]
How they managed scaling [0:24:03]
What Jaime does to absorb wins [0:28:56]
One thing that I’ve noticed working for other brands is just being real with the consumer, and transparency obviously is key.
For me, I’m finding self-care opportunities in just little moments throughout the day, and those small things are so impactful.
— Jaime Schmidt
Bio:
Jaime Schmidt is an entrepreneur and Maker's Movement icon. As the founder of Schmidt's Naturals, Jaime has been changing the way people think about natural products since 2010. Known for leveraging consumer engagement to drive product development and cultivate brand loyalists, Schmidt seized the opportunity to create an innovative version of natural deodorant and turned it into an empire. Jaime's unique brand of leadership has inspired her crusade into naturals, helping Schmidt's land a top-15 spot on Entrepreneur Magazine's list of the "Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America" in 2017. She was also named PNW Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young the same year and recognized by Goldman Sachs as one of "100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs." Jaime continues to combine her powerful vision for trends and drive for innovation while guiding her brand's growth into new product categories and consumer experiences.
Episode 206: Educational Nugget - Segments of Success, with Reina - The Creative Empire Podcast
May 24, 2018
Today, Reina is sharing all about her new brand, but most importantly the seven segments to success in order to profit and serve. She is breaking her Fueled with Heart model down for us in a new way that she has conceptualized. At the beginning of the episode, Reina talks about what the Fueled with Heart model is and what the seven segments are. Throughout the episode, she walks us through the model and talks through the importance of each of the seven segments.
Main Takeaways:
What the Fueled with Heart model is + the seven segments are [0:01:08]
How Social Glue works [0:09:33]
How to gauge if you are giving too much [0:13:35]
Why profitability is part of a business + money mindset [0:15:55]
Why sustainability is something all businesses need [0:19:21]
What verticals + visibility means in the model [0:25:20]
How to set goals + focus [0:29:16]
What the Fueled with Heart Podcast is about [0:31:47]
I really wanted to take that and show people that you don’t have to just serve, serve, serve, serve, serve and not actually be able to make a profit, but we can do both of those things at the same time.
It feels really great to have that reciprocity that I serve people and they pay me for that in return.
— Reina Pomeroy
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Episode 205: Relationships + Sales, with Lacey Sites - the Creative Empire podcast
May 21, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina have a dear friend of both of theirs on the show today, Lacey Sites of A Lit Up Life. She is a business mentor and a success coach for high-performing women entrepreneurs. Lacey's background is in mental health counseling, she also has an MBA. She’s also the co-host of the Happy Thoughts Show and it’s her mission to help women build and grow their own service-based business. At the beginning of the episode, Lacey explains how her journey has led her to coaching. She shares how making connections and relationships are one of the most important things in business. Towards the middle of the episode, Lacey shares about value-centered sales and what you should be doing, and looking for, in a sales call. At the end of the episode, we hear about the even-energy concept and why balance is important for you as a business owner.
Main Takeaways:
What Lacey's journey to coaching has looked like [0:01:40]
What the most important thing in business is [0:06:15]
How to connect with people if you are an introvert [0:08:18]
Why to focus on building relationships [0:10:00]
What value centered sales are [0:12:55]
What a good sales call includes + after the call [0:17:58]
Why you need to get detached from your business [0:21:47]
How to filter out non-ideal clients [0:25:07]
What her even energy exchange concept is [0:27:36]
What the Happy Thoughts Show is about [0:30:02]
The more lit up we are, the more we light other people up.
Scripts are like the worst thing ever when it comes to sales.
— Lacey Sites
Bio:
Lacey Sites is a business mentor and success coach for high-performing women entrepreneurs. She has her M.S in mental health counseling and her M.B.A. She's been a therapist and the director of large non-profit. She's also the proud owner of two successful online businesses, and the co-host of the Happy Thoughts Show. It’s her mission to help other women build and grow their own service-based business that truly lights them up and gives them the personal and financial freedom and impact they’ve always desired.
Episode 204: Developing a Six-Figure Business, with Jereshia Hawk - the Creative Empire podcast
May 17, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Jereshia Hawk who is the income strategist that you need to be in touch with. She’s a recent corporate dropout and helps service based business owners to develop six figure revenue models. At the beginning of the episode we learn how Jereshia transitioned from a corporate job to becoming an income strategist, plus how she has documented that journey. We learn about why transparency is such a big deal for Jereshia and we learn about how she has struggled with pricing herself. The trio chat about raising your prices and how to communicate those increases with your prospective clients. Lastly, we learn all about the visual management Jereshia uses to track her goals and we learn how to make it work for our own businesses.
Main Takeaways:
How she went from a corporate job to helping other entrepreneurs [0:01:25]
What documenting her journey has looked like [0:05:28]
Why Jereshia shares her income public + transparency [0:08:54]
When she realized she was positioning herself as an expert [0:16:40]
What struggling with pricing looks like [0:18:30]
How to start raising your prices + communicating those increases [0:22:25]
How to use visual management + how to put this into practice [0:24:36]
What we will see from Jereshia in the next few years [0:36:52]
I don’t believe that any goal is unrealistic. I just think people have unrealistic expectations about what’s required to achieve that goal.
Say your price and then shut up. Don’t speak after, don’t qualify, don’t try to start undercutting.
— Jereshia Hawk
Bio:
Jereshia Hawk is an Income Strategist and recent Corporate Dropout who helps service based business owners develop six figure revenue models. Jereshia enjoys long walks down the school supply aisle at Target. Yes, she geeks out over new Post-It Notes and pens. If you want want to leverage corporate strategies to help you service based business exponentially grow not only your impact, but your income, she's the woman for you!
Episode 203: Setting Up Pricing Systems + Freelancing, with Aleia Walker - the Creative Empire podcast
May 14, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Aleia Walker who is all things freelance. She is a freelance mentor, a web developer, and she helps creatives quit their day jobs. At the beginning of the episode, we learn how Aleia has became a freelancer and what strategic pricing is. The trio then jump into chatting about growing out of your clients and having confidence in yourself and your boundaries as a freelancer. Aleia shares with us what her strategies are to build trust with potential clients and how she creates her packages in HoneyBook. At the end of the episode we learn about some common freelance challenges and how to combat them.
Main Takeaways:
How Aleia became a freelancer [0:01:21]
What strategic pricing is + where to start [0:02:37]
What growing out of your clients look like + mindset [0:04:30]
How to have confidence in your own boundaries as a freelancer [0:06:35]
How to build trust with your future clients [0:09:08]
What creating the perfect package looks like [0:12:08]
When you should take a side-hustle full time [0:15:35]
What some common freelance challenges are [0:17:26]
How to choose which side-hustle to pursue [0:21:03]
[If you are] just pricing randomly and it doesn’t match your actual needs, you’re not running a business. You’re still running a hobby.
Spend the time doing what’s in your zone of genius.
— Aleia Walker
Bio:
Aleia Walker is a freelance mentor and web developer helping creatives quit their day jobs to build the careers of their daydreams. A few years ago, she was an unhappy corporate drone and started looking for skills that would make her more attractive so she could quit her 9 to 5 for full-time creative work. Learning the new skills was only half the battle. It wasn’t until she figured out the backend of her business - like how to how to find resources for all the legal bits and how to price her services - that she built her freelance business up enough for her to walk away from corporate life. Now when she’s not teaching others in her situation how to code at Skillcrush, she’s helping creatives navigate the backend of their businesses so they can hand in their two week notices and live their daydreams! Freebie: Want to know the secret to quitting your day job for full time creative work? Pricing your services to pay your bills and not just feed your Starbucks habit. If you ready to figure out the key to pricing your services join my 5 Day challenge 'Pricing Packages as a Creative'. More details here!
Episode 202: Email Marketing + Conversions, with Sarah Anderson - the Creative Empire podcast
May 10, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are talking to Sarah Anderson. Sarah is the copywriter, a conversion copywriter and email marketing strategist, at proemailcopy.com. She believes that building a relationship with your list is one of the most valuable investments that you can make in your marketing, no matter what business you have. That's why she works with business owners who want e-mails that are nurturing their subscribers, giving tons of value and converting into sales. At the beginning of this episode, Sarah dives in to tell us how email marketing can benefit you and your business. We hear about the most important email sequence and all about what conversion copywriting is. The trio chat about perfectionism and starting somewhere. Lastly, Sarah shares why you have to be patient with email marketing and what her Welcome Sequence Blueprint can do for you.
Main Takeaways:
How email marketing can benefit you [0:02:59]
What the most important email sequence is [0:04:29]
How to find out what your customers and clients want [0:05:35]
How to overcome objections by building trust [0:08:01]
What conversion copy writing is [0:09:21]
What types of creatives Sarah has worked with + results [0:12:25]
Why you have to overcome perfectionism [0:16:33]
What the numbers are behind your open rates + email list [0:17:43]
Why you have to be patient with email marketing [0:23:27]
What to do after grabbing her blueprint [0:27:07]
If you want to overcome objections it in a way that’s building trust, you approach it with empathy.
You have to e-mail people regularly to keep showing up and keep building that relationship so that you are not just the guy that shows up when you need money and are like, ‘Hey, can I have some money? Okay, bye now.’
— Sarah Anderson
Bio:
Sarah Anderson is a conversion copywriter and email marketing strategist. She believes that building a relationship with your list is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your marketing. That's why Sarah works with business owners who want emails that nurture subscribers, give tons of value, and convert into sales. Sign up at proemailcopy.com/newsletter to get weekly tips for writing better emails in your inbox.
Episode 201: Passion + Storytelling In Business, with Logan Ketterling - the Creative Empire podcast
May 07, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Logan Ketterling. Logan and his wife, Mikayla, live in Saint Paul Minnesota and are currently travelling and running a beautiful jewelry design studio and Shopify site called Urbain. At the beginning of the episode we learn more about Urbain and how it was founded. The trio discuss how showing and giving value is important as a business owner. Logan also shares how storytelling is a good idea for your business. Lastly, the trio talk about focusing, perfection in business, and podcast recommendations.
Main Takeaways:
What Urbain is [0:01:33]
How Logan found a mentor [0:03:30]
Why showing + giving value is important as a business owner [0:07:11]
What Facebook Ads has looked like for his business + using video [0:08:52]
How to find a story around your business [0:12:20]
How to marry passion with financial aspects [0:14:57]
How to focus in business [0:18:19]
What the back-end of Urbain looks like + handing things off [0:24:35]
Why you should stop focus on making everything perfect [0:32:26]
What some business reccomendations are from Logan [0:34:49]
[Combining my passions] literally just came from meeting with a mentor and him encouraging me to do what I love.
The root of [a story] is you have to do what you love and if you love it, it’s just going to ooze out of you.
— Logan Ketterling
Bio:
Logan Ketterling is a business owner, designer, frequent traveler, and avid story lover. He and his wife Mac live in St. Paul, Minnesota; both of them are designers for their fashion lines Urbain and Mac and Me.
Episode 200: Jam Session with Reina + Christina, Creative Empire's 2 Year Anniversary - the Creative Empire podcast
May 03, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are back for episode 200! The duo are are so honored to have been in your ears for this long and this many episodes and they are really excited to jam about the things that They’ve learned through having this podcast, the things that they have seen in the industry and what they anticipate, the projections that they have for Creative Empire and the creative community at large.
Main Takeaways:
The story behind Creative Empire Podcast [0:01:33]
Why Reina was scared of starting the podcast [0:06:57]
How the podcast has influenced the duo in their businesses [0:11:51]
What type of brand to build [0:13:40]
How having the podcast has helped them become better guests [0:15:13]
What changes in the industry have looked like [0:15:43]
What sustainability in business can look like [0:18:46]
Why you just need to start somewhere [0:23:21]
What they have learned personally [0:26:00]
Where is the Creative Industry headed [0:39:59]
Entrepreneurship is just this game where you’re constantly trading up, like you start with a paperclip and then you end up with a condo in Hawaii, like that guy on craigslist all those years ago. You’re just like constantly trading up.
Every industry requires some kind of tenacity and what does that look like for you and how do you want to grow your business.
— Reina Pomeroy
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Episode 199: Freelancing As A Designer, with Jamie Starcevich - the Creative Empire podcast
Apr 30, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are chatting with Jamie Starcevich of Spruce Road. Right at the beginning of the episode, Jamie dives into the why behind starting her own business, Spruce Road. She shares what a freelance design business is and why she promotes becoming a business owner to other designers. The trio discuss the freebies Jamie offers and about fear and processes in business. Towards the end of the episode, Jamie shares why having a community where you feel comfortable is important as a business owner and Reina shares about turning people off that may trigger you. Lastly, we hear how she balances life, working, and moving as gracefully as she does.
Main Takeaways:
What Spruce Road is + why she started her own business [0:01:39]
What a freelance design business is [0:02:48]
Why Jamie encourages people to become freelancers [0:04:15]
What some business owner pitfalls are [0:05:57]
What to expect when grabbing her client finder freebie [0:07:07]
How to get through fear [0:09:23]
Why your process is so important [0:12:42]
How to increase prices [0:15:49]
Why peer-support is helpful + having self-care [0:17:55]
How Jamie balances life, work, + moving [0:22:57]
What the Share Worthy Design Course is all about [0:26:28]
I have a heart for other designers. There’s such camaraderie within the design community and I just feel led to share what I’ve learned on the way.
Step one is to work on your process and then you’ll be 10 times further along than almost any designer that gets started.
— Jamie Starcevich
Bio:
Hey there! I’m Jamie, founder + creative director at Spruce Rd., a brand identity design studio for online businesses, and creator of the Share-worthy Design course for freelancers. I’m also mom to a little one, hiking enthusiast (walking around the park counts, right?!), and will never say no to cookies, tacos, or a Wes Anderson film.
Episode 198: How To Turn Your Passion Into A Profitable Endeavor, with Cathy Heller - the Creative Empire podcast
Apr 26, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined today by Cathy Heller of the Don't Keep Your Day Job Podcast. Outside of building a huge podcasting following, Cathy is also a song writer and her music has been featured in places like Walmart, McDonald's, Crate and Barrel, and many tv shows. At the beginning of the episode, we learn more about Cathy and how she has landed where she is today. She shares more about why personal relationships are important in business and how you can use your passion without being salesy. The trio discuss what being in hustle mode is and how to align yourself with it. Lastly, Cathy shares getting feedback from your audience and being quiet for yourself.
Main Takeaways:
How she has landed where she is today [0:02:52]
Why personal relationships are so important + caring for others [0:15:45]
How to be passionate about your business without being salesy [0:22:59]
What offerings she has to serve you [0:28:36]
Why you have to align yourself with the hustle [0:29:22]
Why you should get feedback from your friends + audience [34:10]
How to be quiet + figuring out what you are really good at [0:36:!3]
What aligning with your thing feels like + having courage [0:43:04]
There is a game plan if you want to understand how to make something that someone else needs.
— Cathy Heller
Bio:
As the creator and host of the popular podcast Don’t Keep Your Day Job, Cathy Heller is growing one of the biggest, most engaged audiences in the podcast world. In just a few short months, Cathy’s podcast has climbed high up on the iTunes charts, is sponsored by world class brands, and draws thousands of listeners to feast upon each inspiring episode. Heller’s mission is to offer real tools and insight to help others find a sense of purpose and newfound fulfillment in their work. Far too many people live lives of quiet desperation and never find a way to express their unique gift. Heller is driven to see more people happily making a living doing what they love. Despite the cynics, the evidence is there that many have made careers from what they most enjoy. Whether it’s baking, screenwriting, sewing, painting or dance, it’s certainly attainable to turn your passion into profit. Heller’s listeners are already writing in about the steps her show has inspired them to take. As Heller’s following has grown, she’s created an online course based on the demand of her fans. She's created an active Facebook community, where listeners post about their career ambitions, support one another and share their challenges as they go through the process of building their business. Those who want the full step by step guide to reaching their goals, enroll for Cathy’s course. Prior to her podcast, Cathy was known for having hand crafted a career as a songwriter, licensing her music to Film/TV and Advertising. Songs of hers have been featured in ads for Mcdonald's, Walmart, Kellogs and many TV shows, films and even a few theme songs. Her journey has been documented in magazines and newspapers, like Variety, Billboard and the LA Weekly. After earning multi-six figures each year with her own songs, she started an agency, helping other artists to do the same. She has spoken on the DIY hustle and how to reverse engineer your dream job at countless places such as UCLA, the Grammy Museum, Billboard Film/TV conference, ASCAP Expo, Berklee School of music and more. A graduate from Florida State University, Heller currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and three daughters. When not podcasting, teaching or speaking, Cathy is still songwriting. Most recently, she wrote the main title theme song to a show called Llama Llama, soon to be out on Netflix, starring Jennifer Garner. In her free time she’s busy playing dress up with her little girls (5 and 3 years old) and enjoying the youngest, Madeleine, who is only 5 months old.
Episode 197: Processes + Procedures, with Laura Neff - the Creative Empire podcast
Apr 23, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Laura Neff who is a wedding and brand photographer, who preserves memories for adventurous fun loving couples and heart driven creative brands. In addition to running this very successful photography business, she is also an educator and she likes to educate the creative community on all things workflow systems, productivity and time management. At the beginning of the episode we learn a little more about Laura. Laura shares why she thinks workflows and systems are important and where they should be stored. Towards the end of the episode the trio discuss how you can garner higher prices with organization. Listen at the end to hear some quick tips for creating workflows are and client experience.
Main Takeaways:
How she got into wedding and brand photography + moved into an educator role [0:01:33]
Why workflows and systems are important in your business [0:07:37]
How to start creating workflows [0:10:55]
Where to store procedures and workflows [0:14:30]
How to create a procedure manual + changes in your processes [0:17:07]
Where you can learn about workflows with Laura [0:23:47]
Why organization can garner higher price points [0:27:54]
What quick tips for creating workflows are + client experience [0:31:34]
My goal as an educator to give people the tools and empower them that work life harmony is possible.
Nothing is ever going to be perfect but done is better than perfect.
— Laura Neff
Bio:
Laura is a New Jersey + worldwide wedding and brand photographer preserving memories for adventurous, fun-loving couples and heart-driven creative brands. In addition to running a very successful photography business, she educates the creative community on all things workflow, systems, productivity and time management! She's obsessed with firepits, sweet wine, deep conversation, elephants, and showing off her horrible dance moves at any given moment. Laura is on a mission for entrepreneurs to schedule more date nights, brunch weekends, and vacations as a result of finding work-life balance while running a thriving business!
Episode 196: Motherhood + Consistency, with Kelsey Baldwin - the Creative Empire podcast
Apr 19, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined today by Kelsey Baldwin of Paper and Oats. Kelsey is the owner of an Etsy shop and a freelance design studio since 2013. But what’s really phenomenal about Kelsey is her story, plus she just wrote a book about it! At the beginning of the episode, we learn about Kelsey's back-story and about how single-motherhood has impacted her. We learn about how she moved away from client work and digital products and courses. The trio discuss planning and how multiple revenue streams are important for her as a single-parent. Lastly, we learn who Kelsey's mentors and influencers have been.
Main Takeaways:
Who Kelsey is + how she got to where she is [0:02:01]
What being a single-mother in business is like [0:05:39]
What early moments of a rough stage feels like [0:08:21]
How moving away from client work has impacted her business [0:12:11]
How to balance money now vs future payoff of passive products [0:14:35]
Why multiple revenue streams is a good idea [0:17:16]
What planning is like for her [0:19:20]
How to prepare for a digital product launch [0:27:51]
Who Kelsey's mentors have been [0:30:30]
A lot of stuff gets erased and rewritten (in my calendar), so I think being able to be flexible and move stuff around as you go.
(My book) will be another little piece that can help sustain all these other little pieces that make up a whole.
— Kelsey Baldwin
Bio:
Kelsey Baldwin started Paper + Oats as an Etsy shop and a freelance design studio in 2013. It has since grown into a brand + blog that teaches creatives how to organize, design, and market their digital products, so they can share what they know + look good doing it. She is a single mom to a crazy 3-year-old and a big fluffy dog, and is also an advocate for women learning to sustain themselves + gain independence through online business.
Episode 195: Turning Off the BS, with Allen Brouwer - the Creative Empire podcast
Apr 16, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined with Allen Brouwer and Allen is the co-founder of Best Self Co. a company that helps people achieve their goals and become the best version of themselves through productivity performance and positivity. At the beginning of the episode, we jump right in with Allen and learn more about him and his motto. He shares about how to cut off distractions and how to use a schedule as a creative to cut through the bs. Allen then chats about how Best Self Co. was created and how it started off of a Kickstarter campaign. Lastly, the trio talk tips and takeaways to help you stay productive.
Main Takeaways:
Who Allen Brouwer is + his experiences [0:01:23]
How to turn off the bs [0:03:47]
What the easiest way to start turning off distractions [0:05:39]
How to use a schedule as a creative [0:09:31]
What exercise to do, to cut through that bs [0:14:05]
How the Best Self Co. system came to be + how journal works [0:17:25]
Why they started with Kickstarter [0:20:31]
What some launch tips are [0:24:31]
How to connect better with your audience [0:28:22]
What shifting your mindset looks like + practicing gratitude [0:31:57]
You’ll start creating a fan base that is so loyal, regardless of what you’re selling, as long as you’re there and you’re acknowledging them and you’re supporting them and you’re contributing and you’re providing value.
Then you just create a narrow mindset and anything that does not relate to either becoming the person that you want to become or achieving the things that you want to achieve, you say no to it.
— Allen Brouwer
Bio:
Allen is the Co-Founder of BestSelf Co. a company that helps people achieve their goals and become the best version of themselves through productivity, performance, and positivity. A serial entrepreneur whose passion is to help others achieve their entrepreneurial visions. He loves the outdoors, psychology, and marketing.
Episode 194: Being an Influencer, with Julie Solomon - the Creative Empire podcast
Apr 12, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined with Julie Solomon. Julie is a New York Times bestselling publicist, host of The Influencer Podcast, and a marketing expert! At the beginning of the episode, we hear all about Julie's twist and turns in business and how she has landed where she is today. Julie shares about soul-searching within her businesses and all about what being an "influencer" actually means. In the episode, we even find out who Julie follows as influencers. At the end of the podcast we learn why batching your content is key to having more time as well as what makes a good pitch.
Main Takeaways:
How Julie got to where she is + twist and turns in business [0:01:24]
What soul-searching was like for Julie [0:18:03]
What an influencer means [0:22:26]
What are some things that comes with the "influencer" title [0:28:35]
Who Julie follows as influencers [0:31:44]
Why you should be batching your content [0:35:00]
What makes a good pitch [0:39:12]
(To me) Influencer means helping others find that magic within, so then create the brilliance that they want to be in the world and then they can share that with everyone, and to really enact change.
— Julie Solomon
The more that you’re able to know who your audience is, the more that you’re going to be able to serve them.
Nashville native and California-based entrepreneur Julie Solomon is a NY Times Best-Selling Publicist, influencer and marketing expert who teaches bloggers and online entrepreneurs how to grow their blog, business, and income through authentic connection and brand strategy. Julie has worked with some of the country’s most recognized influencers, authors, entrepreneurs, and bloggers for over a decade. From graduating cum laude with a major in Journalism and Public Relations to working at PR powerhouses, Julie has made a reputable name for herself in the PR, marketing and branding world. As a New York Times-best selling publicist with experience covering music, publishing, and entertainment, Julie eventually co-founded a prestigious public relations agency, OMG! Publicity, in 2013. Along with her PR agency, Julie has since created a popular website, JulieSolomon.net, to combine her talents, background, and passion to empower others through her informative tips on business growth, social media and marketing. Within her domain, Julie runs Pitch It Perfect, a branding and marketing pitch program for bloggers, influencers, and entrepreneurs to learn the step-by-step formula for executing a pitch strategy that converts into lucrative brand deals and attention grabbing media placements for their businesses. These strategies are the same she used to help herself as well as clients garner national media placements and over $1 million dollars in income from brand deals in just 1 year. Her latest venture, The Influencer Podcast, explores the secrets behind the every changing landscape of influencer marketing and shares the most accredited and informed strategies from top social influencers, business owners, and industry elites. During its launch month in April 2017, The Influencer Podcast joined the Top-50 list of iTunes’ Business Podcast Chart, peaking at #15, and remains in the Top-50 to date. Julie currently calls Los Angeles home, and lives there with her husband, Johnathon, and son Camden.
Episode 193: Building + Becoming Boss, with Kathleen Shannon - the Creative Empire podcast
Apr 09, 2018
Today Reina and Christian are talking to Kathleen Shannon. Kathleen is one of the co-hosts of Being Boss Podcast, a founder of Braid Creative, and is the co-author of the Being Boss book. At the beginning of the episode, we hear all about how Kathleen got started with her business and podcasting. She shares about content streams and how she repurposes content for her audience. The trio discuss shifting mindset into bigger picture marketing and why you need to get clear with your offerings. Lastly, we hear all about the new Being Boss book and Kathleen shares about two methods that she writes about in the book.
Main Takeaways:
How Kathleen got started with her business + podcast [0:01:55]
What all of her content streams are + repurposing content [0:05:49]
What Being Boss has become [0:12:26]
How to get into shifting your mindset to bigger picture marketing [0:16:08]
Why to created content for your ideal clients + getting clear [0:20:11]
What the Being Boss book is about + the chalkboard method [0:23:24]
What Kathleen's dinner party method is [0:28:24]
What the best way to digest her book is [0:34:44]
How being a leader has helped her grow [0:41:04]
Whenever it comes to having a brand and a reputation, it is about saying the same thing over and over again. If you feel like you’re being redundant, you’re probably doing it right.
There is definitely some manifesting magic whenever it comes to the chalkboard. It’s also a really practical way to visualize your goals and to get some hustle in your bustle.
— Kathleen Shannon
Bio:
Kathleen Shannon is a creative director, podcaster, speaker, author, and mentor. As the co-founder of Braid Creative and co-host of the Being Boss podcast she has helped thousands of creative entrepreneurs from all over the world authentically brand and position themselves as creative experts, cultivate confidence in their business, and blend more of who they are into the work they do. When she’s not working she’s traveling the world, cooking a great meal, or cuddling on the couch with her husband and their 3 year old son, Fox.
Episode 192: Having a Badass Brand, with Pia Silva - the Creative Empire podcast
Apr 05, 2018
Reina and I are joined today by Pia Silva, who is an entrepreneur, speaker and author. She is also the partner and branch strategist of at Worstofall Design, where they build badass brands without the BS. At the beginning of the episode, Pia jumps right in sharing about her book and what differentiation has looked like for her business. She explains what being a badass brand means and how they accomplish it with their clients. Pia shares about her brand, Worstofall design, and how the name came to be. She shares about shifting in business and why you need to prepare your clients when you work with them. Lastly, Pia talks about influencer opportunities and what you need to know about your ideal clients.
Main Takeaways:
How her book, Badass Your Brand, came to be [0:01:20]
What moving through pricing has looked like + differentiation [0:02:35]
What it means to have a badass brand [0:05:45]
How they prep for an intensive with their brand [0:08:02]
Why you need to build a brand that only attracts your audience [0:11:09]
How her brand shifted from to having a productized service [0:13:00]
How their design brand name, "worstofall" came to be [0:19:15]
When do you know when you are ready to hire a designer [0:22:39]
Why you need to prepare your clients [0:25:25]
How designers can help their businesses [0:28:17]
What to know about ideal clients + influencer opportunities [0:32:01]
One of the most valuable things as a business owner is getting back to what’s going to bring in the money.
You want to build a brand that is so clear in its’ positioning that it attracts exactly the clients you want.
— Pia Silva
Bio:
Entrepreneur, speaker and author Pia Silva is a partner and brand strategist at Worstofall Design where they build “Badass Brands without the BS” for 1-3 person service businesses in 1-3 day intensives. She is also a Forbes contributor and author of Badass Your Brand: The Impatient Entrepreneur’s Guide to Turning Expertise into Profit.
Episode 191: Becoming Obsessed With Your Business, with Melissa Cassera - the Creative Empire podcast
Apr 02, 2018
Today Reina and Christina are talking to Melissa Cassera, who is an award-winning business strategist and professional screenwriter. She is actually one of Reina's mentors and Reina is part of her Obsessed Program. Melissa teaches entrepreneurs how to build an audience that’s a 100% obsessed with their work while making every step feel like a total guilty pleasure. At the beginning of the episode, Melissa shares how she started her business and what it has evolved from. She shares why you need to be obsessed with your business with some helpful tips, plus explains how being obsessed with help influence your audience. Towards the end of the episode, the trio talk about haters and how to deal with negative words sent to you. Lastly, Melissa shares how she deals with the twists and turns of entrepreneurship.
Main Takeaways:
How she started her business + the facets of her business [0:01:35]
How to move past fear of repeating yourself to your audience [0:04:39]
Why you should shift and be obsessed with your business [0:07:54]
What personality brings to being "professional" + adding personality [0:14:48]
How to deal with haters + hate messages [0:24:23]
How to talk about the twists + turns in entrepreneurship [0:37:32]
Trust that when you go out there with that energy and actually talk about things you want to talk about, not talk about things that you think other people wanted you to talk about, because that never goes any place good. When you do that, then people get behind your energy and your enthusiasm.
Bringing in your passions and your guilty pleasures, whatever feels fun for you is really crucial for business.
— Melissa Cassera
Bio:
Melissa Cassera is an award-winning Business Strategist and Professional Screenwriter. She teaches entrepreneurs how to build an audience that is 100% obsessed with their work, while making every step feel like a total guilty pleasure. She was named one of the nation’s “Top Personal Branding Experts” by Huffington Post and her insights have been featured in Success Magazine, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, and Forbes. Her first film GIRL FOLLOWED currently airs on Lifetime, and she has a TV series in development.
Episode 190: Jam Session with Reina + Christina, Catching Up With Our Co-Hosts - the Creative Empire podcast
Mar 29, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina and they're jamming about catching up, both about their lives and what’s been going on behind the scenes for their businesses. They are also talking about traveling, which they've both done a lot of, and they're going to be also talking about behind the scenes in terms of when things go as well as they had hoped or it’s not going as they had expected. Listen below to hear a little bit more about where they both are in their businesses and the changes they are implementing.
Main Takeaways:
Where Christina is [0:01:11]
What moving has been like for Reina [0:02:02]
What business looks like for Christina [0:03:47]
What Reina is looking forward to this year [0:12:03]
How to manage expectations [0:14:38]
What seasons versus shifting hours [0:16:28]
How shifting your business model can work [0:20:46]
How to start setting boundaries [0:23:42]
What Christina's creative empire looks like [0:25:45]
What Reina's creative empire looks like [0:26:43]
For me it’s been like just putting the brake on it and saying, ‘You know what? It’s okay. It’s going to be.’
I mean, there’s definitely certain seasons where I feel more permission. So around, like Christmas and the holidays, I definitely feel a lot more permission to let go and like people aren’t expecting your responses quickly, which is really kind of a breath of fresh air.
— Christina Scalera
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Episode 189: Designing + Doing In Your Product Business, with Megan Auman - the Creative Empire podcast
Mar 26, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina is joined with Megan Auman who runs a multifaceted business around her passion for art, Designing an MBA. At the beginning of the eisode, Megan dives right in chatting about how she got started with fine art, her blog, and her program. We learn all about her program and what people can expect to learn with it. Megan talks about when people should start building their business and why you need to get past the ideas of perfection and comparison in business. Lastly, Megan shares about her process and how she uses a visual content strategy.
Main Takeaways:
How she got started in fine art + starting her blog [0:01:28]
What information people learn in Designing an MBA [0:05:36]
Where you should start when building a business [0:10:15]
How to move past perfection for your business [0:15:37]
What Megan's process looks like [0:21:55]
How to get out of comparing yourself to others [0:29:43]
What a visual content strategy + how to start it [0:34:23]
Why you should be writing differently across platforms [0:36:28]
I am the most creative and the best at designing for my business when I’m the one doing the work, when I’m the one actually sitting in there and making production. What that means is that I’m going to spend a lot of my time making, which I’m okay with.
There’s not one right way to run a business. There’s no path that everyone should follow.
— Megan Auman
Bio:
Megan Auman is a designer, metalsmith, educator, and entrepreneur who has built a a multi-faceted business around her passion for art, commerce, and visual content creation! (Which is just a fancy way of saying she's obsessed with Instagram and Pinterest.) In addition to running her eponymous jewelry line, she also runs Designing an MBA, where she helps makers, artists, and creatives grow their businesses.
Episode 188: Building a Calligraphy Community, with Becca Courtice - the Creative Empire podcast
Mar 22, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Becca Courtice of The Happy Ever Crafter. Becca is modern calligrapher, doer and teacher based on Ottawa, Canada but has been traveling quite a bit recently. The trio start the episode by listening to Becca explain how she has created a Facebook community with her "Show Me Your Drills" challenge. She shares the struggles she has seen her community face and how pricing and community should go together. Becca shares about her love of teaching, plus what partnerships and affiliates look like for her business. Lastly, the trio discuss why you should be doing, rather than worrying about perfection.
Main Takeaways:
How she has created a community + travelling to them [0:01:53]
How the Show Me Your Drills challenge has transformed [0:05:39]
What struggles she has seen with her audience [0:12:28]
Why pricing + community go together [0:13:59]
How to create a community as a calligrapher [0:20:07]
What Becca's favorite teaching moments [0:21:28]
What her partnerships + sponsorship's + affiliates have looked like [0:29:05]
Why you should focus on doing vs. perfection [0:39:34]
It’s one thing to create a community of people who are following and engaging with me, but it’s totally different to put people together in to their own communities.
I always want (sponsorships) to work for my community.
— Becca Courtice
Bio:
Becca is a modern calligraphy “do-er” and teacher based out of Ottawa, Canada. Becca focuses largely on teaching calligraphy – both in person and online. She has created a huge community of aspiring calligraphers around a free, online calligraphy course/challenge called ShowMeYourDrills, where students learn the basics of calligraphy in a simple, step-by-step process from the ground up. If you’re thinking of picking up calligraphy in a simple, fun and stress-free way- Becca aims to help you do just that. But beware... if “Dad jokes” and terrible puns aren’t your jam, you may want to find a different place to learn!
Episode 187: Authenticity + Storytelling in Your Business, with Marisa Arredondo - the Creative Empire podcast
Mar 19, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Marisa Arredondo of Phace Bioactive. If you have not heard of Marisa or her product, then get excited to hear about how she went from somebody who just had a problem to being on QVC! The episode starts with Marisa sharing how her product was created and why she chose to be the solution. She shares how storytelling has been a big part of her brand. Marisa also shares about hiring people, but knowing your business by being present in all parts of your business. Lastly, she shares about watching her competitors and copycats and how she uses that to fuel her business.
Main Takeaways:
How Phace Bioactive was started [0:01:41]
Why she chose to be the solution for a problem + using storytelling [0:06:08]
Why relationships are important in your business + hiring [0:09:53]
What product struggles are for skin care [0:15:59]
Why you should be in all of the parts of your business [0:17:20]
Why you don't need a business degree, to be a business owner [0:20:28]
Why you should study competitors + copycats [0:23:06]
What influencers need to partner with a large brand [0:29:12]
I spent some time while in Wall Street as a research analyst investing in biotech stock, all the while knowing that might end game was to start my own skin care line. First, to solve my own issues and then bring my products that work to women everywhere.
Storytelling has been a real important part of growing my brand in addition to having true passion about what I’m doing because again as I mentioned it’s a labor of love.
— Marisa Arredono
Bio:
PHACE BIOACTIVE® is the first line of pH Optimized Skin Care®. Each original formula is designed for maximum absorption and efficacy, and to preserve your skin's delicate pH balance. The philosophy and treatments are grounded in decades of clinical research, and as a result of personal experience and years of development. PHACE BIOACTIVE® has been a labor of love for me. I had terrible cystic acne as a teen which lead me to experiment with anything and everything: buff puffs, soaps, scrubs, sulfur, benzoyl peroxide. Eventually I was prescribed antibiotics, retin-A, corticosteroid injections, and Accutane. The blemishes subsided for a period, only to return at age 22 as adult acne. I didn't know it at the time, but I was stripping my acid mantle with the alkaline topical cleansers, creams and exfoliants I was told to use, and I was actually exacerbating my symptoms, not to mention accelerating the visual marks of aging. And so began my quest for the perfect skin care system. After graduating from Stanford University, I worked as an analyst on Wall Street for 12 years to research and invest in cosmetic, drug and biotech companies. There, I learned about skin biology, ingredient technology, and pH balance as it relates to anti-aging. I engaged first hand with novel research and manufacturing practices, and developed a network of dermatologists and chemists I consult with. I also graduated from Harvard Business School, where I conceived the business plan for PHACE BIOACTIVE®. My mission is to educate women and men about the most effective ways to care for their skin; to inform, inspire, and instruct our growing community on a variety of skin care, cosmetic, and lifestyle issues, and to offer the most powerful and effective anti-aging skin care solutions. My wish for you is the happiness, relief, and confidence that comes with having healthy, radiant skin. Show your face, love your face, protect your pH™!
Episode 186: Heels + Confidence In Business, with Abby Walker - the Creative Empire podcast
Mar 15, 2018
Reina and Christian are joined today by Abby Lou Walker who is the CEO of Vivian Lou Incorporated. The episode starts by us diving into Abby's journey into how she got to where she is and we learn more about the business she runs. She talks about keeping momentum in business and how persistence has kept her going throughout many business hurdles. The trio talk about the emotional experiences of being a business owner and Abby shares how she continues to move forward. Lastly, the trio discuss mindset, coaches, and giving back in your business.
Main Takeaways:
What is Vivian Lou + how it was founded [0:01:22]
How she has kept momentum going + persistence [0:13:24]
What it is like to be on television [0:19:46]
What her emotional experience has looked like [0:21:14]
What does managing a 3 million dollar business look like [0:22:47]
Why mindset is important in business [0:26:23]
How to keep track of your highlight reel + insecurities [0:30:08]
What having coaches have looked like [0:32:10]
Why she gives back in her business [0:38:40]
I have purposely set up my company so that I don’t have investors and I don’t have employees, and the reason I did that was because I don’t want a boss and the only people I want to be responsible too are my husband and my kids.
I just want you to know that you are worthy of whatever you’re dreaming of.
— Abby Walker
Bio:
Abby Lou Walker is the CEO of Vivian Lou Inc., a multi-million dollar company that markets and sells shoe insoles that empower women to wear high heels without pain. Walker started the company in 2014 as a “hobby” while working a full-time job and raising two children. Two years later, she ditched her day job to focus on her business. As part of her mission to support women in pursuit of their dreams, she donates a portion of every sale to organizations that support disadvantaged women. Prior to starting her own company, Abby served in a variety of executive roles for various companies ranging from Fortune 500 companies to private-equity owned firms. She received her Master’s degree in Business Communication from DePaul University, and her Bachelor’s degree in English-Journalism from Miami University. Abby currently resides in Mequon, Wisconsin with her husband and two elementary-school aged kiddos. Find Vivian Lou insoles at www.vivianlou.com and follow Abby at www.abbylouwalker.com.
Episode 185: Being a Disruptor + Filling the Gaps, with Jackie Nwobu - the Creative Empire podcast
Mar 12, 2018
Joining Reina and Christina today is Jackie Nwobu, the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Munaluchi Bride Magazine. Jackie dives right into the episode, chatting about how she started in the magazine industry. She talks about how her retreat came to be and what it feels like to be a disruptor in an industry. Additionally, she shares about business struggles and how we can help support others. Lastly, the trio talk about spotting gaps in the industry and how to listen to your audience.
Main Takeaways:
How she got started with a magazine, without publishing experience [0:01:54]
Why Coterie Retreat was born + inclusivity [0:12:44]
What being a disruptor feels like [0:19:01]
How we can support others [0:22:36]
What some business struggles are [0:30:59]
Why the publishing world is so scary [0:35:01]
Why leverage your audience + find out what they like [0:36:55]
How to spot gaps in the industry [0:40:53]
If you are launching the next big thing, chances are it doesn’t exist. If it doesn’t exist, there is going to be a learning curve, because there’s no one who’s going to teach you how to do it. You’re going to have to do as much research as you can. You’re going to have to figure things out.
Then when people are honest with what they’re going through on the other end, people who’ve been there before, you know that you’ve been there before and maybe now you’re doing really well, don’t ever forget where you came from, because you didn’t just wake up and become a big time planner, or you didn’t just wake up and become award-winning photographer. There was a process that you went through.
— Jackie Nwobu
Bio:
Jacqueline Nwobu is the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Munaluchi Bride Magazine, the leading nationally distributed wedding magazine and online wedding marketplace catering to women of color. With no prior experience within the publishing industry, Jacqueline and her husband launched Munaluchi Bride Magazine in 2010 and obtained national distribution within major retailers including Target and Barnes and Noble. Women of color are major contributors to the billion dollar wedding industry, yet, their presence within major bridal publications and websites/blogs is rare. Jacqueline’s vision and determination to fill this void is what gave her the strength and willpower to break into and positively impact an industry she knew very little about. Prior to launching Munaluchi Bride, Jacqueline obtained her B.S. degree in Medical Technology and worked for major pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies, including Johnson and Johnson. The rapid success of her magazine has landed her interviews on NBC, ABC, and WPIX NY. Jacqueline resides in New Jersey with her husband and three children. Learn more about Munaluchi at www.munaluchibridal.com
Episode 184: Focusing + Growing on Social Media, with Ashley Perkins - the Creative Empire podcast
Mar 08, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Ashley Perkins of Prestige Revolution and the Social Smarter Society. The trio jump right in to the episode and talk about how social media has impacted Ashley's business. Ashley's shares how she started small and how social media was her go-to for connections. She shares how social media is a good way to leverage connections and how to use analytics to see how your business is operating online. Next, she shares how video is the game changer in social media and way you need to be using video with your audience. Lastly, the trio discuss what type of content you should be sharing and why you should be real with your audience.
Main Takeaways:
How social media has connected her [0:01:32]
Where the shift and focus came in her business [0:06:26]
How to grow your social media following + taking a look at the backend [0:09:37]
Why should you be using video + getting over the emotional hump [0:15:34]
What social media should you focus on [0:22:33]
How to look at data in social media [0:36:59]
A lot of people are very quick to discredit it because it can be so overwhelming at times, but the connections I’ve made through social media are so invaluable and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
I really got this point where I realize, you know what? I’m at a point now where I’ve got to kind of put the blinders on and put more trust in myself.
— Ashley Perkins
Bio:
Hey there! I’m Ashley, found of Prestige Revolution and the Social Smarter Society. I have almost ten years of experience helping business owners and bosses create more income, influence and impact with strategic online marketing. I’ve worked with dozens of clients across industries like technology and e-Commerce, real estate, investments and finance, and health, wellness, and lifestyle. My blog and insider tips have been featured in several entrepreneurial publications like The Rising Tide Society, and my clients often say I have a talent in growing thriving and engaged online communities to achieve specific business goals and objectives. When I’m not coaching my clients, filming a YouTube video, or prepping for my next guest feature or segment, you can find me out and about with my rescue dog, dancing to ’90’s classics, binge-watching the latest Netflix original, or diving into a good book. Want to chat? Reach out to me on any platform: ashleyperkins.co
Episode 183: Email Marketing + MemberVault, with Erin Kelly - the Creative Empire podcast
Mar 05, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined with Erin Kelly who is the co-founder of MemberVault. Erin has transformed in her business adventures, starting out as an online business manager, to now managing MemberVault with her husband. She shares how she has handled big life decisions and what life challenges she has faced from having an on-the-road business. The trio discuss re-engaging with your list and how email marketing can be engaging. Lastly, they dive into MemberVault and how it can help your small business.
Main Takeaways:
How her journey unfolded [0:01:43]
What an Online Business Manager is [0:03:31]
How to handle big life + business decisions [0:08:33]
What challenges they have faced in their on-the-road business [0:09:38]
How to re-engage your list + email marketing [0:14:12]
Where you can get a free MemberVault account + how it can help you [0:22:36]
What segmenting + tagging for a list looks like [0:24:27]
How helpful support can be [0:32:17]
Where to start in MemberVault [0:34:59]
There’s a lot of negativity around email marketing I think. Which is a shame because it’s actually a really really great way to open a conversation with your audience.
I think that’s a good thing for all of us to remember is that we all make oopsies.
— Erin Kelly
Bio:
Erin Kelly is the co-founder of MemberVault, the perfect tool to boost engagement, learn more about your audience and make selling easier. She is currently living full time in a 30 ft RV with her husband, 19 month old son and rescue hound pup. Grab your free account at membervault.co.
Episode 182: Mindfulness + Self-Compassion In the Entrepreneurial World, with Dr. Leah Weiss - the Creative Empire podcast
Mar 01, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Dr. Leah Weiss who is a teacher at the Stanford School of Business and the author of an upcoming book titled, How We Work: Live Your Purpose, Reclaim Your Sanity and Embrace the Daily Grind, published by Harper Collins. The trio start off by chatting about Dr. Leah's background and how it has influenced her career. They then discuss the idea of mindfulness and what some practical ways to start incorporating mindfulness into your routine can look like. Lastly, she talks about her new book and how it is structured for everyone.
Main Takeaways:
How her background influenced her career [0:01:55]
What "the hustle" means to her [0:04:43]
What mindfulness means + practical practices [0:09:06]
How to be a better leader [0:19:06]
Why you need self-compassion [0:25:13]
How to examine yourself + moving forward [0:29:27]
How her book is structured [0:33:34]
The way I have approached the classes to give people resources and resilience so they can live that life that they’re so passionate about, but do it with more sanity and not burn out and you know, not implode themselves, their families, their projects.
The mindfulness for me is a way of enacting the purpose and the purpose is about priorities, it’s about our personal priorities, it’s about our professional priorities, it’s doing what we can to bring those together so that we know what we’re doing, we know why.
— Dr. Leah Weiss
Bio:
Leah Weiss, PhD. is a lecturer, a researcher, a writer, and an author. She’s trained thousands of executives, team leaders, students, veterans, and Silicon Valley’s best and brightest in mindfulness. She’s taken years of personal and academic mindfulness research and applied it to training seminars, speaking engagements, Ivy League courses, and a book published by Harper-Collins and launching this coming March, 2017. Some of the clients that Leah has worked with include Google, LinkedIn, The Omidyar Group, and countless others. She currently lectures at the Stanford School of Business -- where her course ‘Leading With Mindfulness and Compassion’ is one of the most popular courses offered since 2013. Her academic work has been (and still is) used at the Stanford School of Business, at the University of California at Berkeley, the Stanford School of Medicine, at the US Department of Veteran Affairs, and in countless other places. In addition to academic research, consulting, and teaching, Leah has spoken at Kaiser Permanente, Harvard Medical School, Accredited Investors Wealth Management, the Hebrew Senior Life Center, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, TedX, and in many additional corporations and centers both in the US and abroad. Leah also writes (as a columnist) for Psychology Today, the Huffington Post, and the Harvard Business Review. She is regularly called upon to voice her opinion on the topic of mindfulness in the workplace by journalists from a variety of business publications. She has worked alongside the Dalai Lama’s main English interpreter (Thupten Jinpa), with popular health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, and with Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay) through the Hope Lab where she implemented the Compassion Education and Scholarship program. Leah currently lectures at the Stanford Business School along with running her own consulting business.
Episode 181: Educational Nugget - Getting Testimonial from Clients, with Reina - the Creative Empire podcast
Feb 26, 2018
Today, Reina is here in an educational nugget, to teach us about testimonials and how to get them from clients. There are so many reasons behind having client testimonials, so Reina is diving in and talking about the why behind testimonials and what to do with client testimonials once you have them. In the episode, Reina also shares about a free resource that she has that can help you get killer client testimonials.
Main Takeaways:
Why client testimonials are important [0:01:17]
How to ask for a testimonial [0:04:25]
How to get the transformation in the testimonial [0:09:40]
Why you should set an intentional day for feedback [0:12:11]
How to prepare for critical feedback [0:15:13]
What are ways to get sales page testimonials [0:19:53]
Where you can receive reviews [0:23:51]
We should make sure to get feedback from all of our customers so that we can figure out how to fine tune our services.
Data is important to me just because it’s not just about testimonials but being able to say like, “This is where I help my clients. This is what, you know, the changes we make by working together.
— Reina Pomeroy
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Episode 180: Jam Session with Reina + Christina, Contentment in Business - the Creative Empire podcast
Feb 22, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are jamming out about contentment within business. They are chatting about what it can feel like to be content in where your business is as well as what contentment would look like for each of them. This episode is full of talking about giving ourselves grace and discussing a real life struggle in business.
Main Takeaways:
What contentment in business would look like for the duo [0:01:28]
How guilt can creep in with contentment [0:06:42]
Why being content with what you want in your business is okay [0:08:25]
Why to focus on one thing in your business [0:12:35]
What does contentment look like for you [0:17:03]
Why we care about what others think [0:19:06]
Write down three things everyday that you’re grateful for and that, I think that helps to create (gratitude).
From experience, you can visible everywhere that you want and if you are not good at selling at the end of the day it does not matter.
— Christina Scalera
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Episode 179: Empire Mentoring Session: Content Creation + Consistency, with Tani Mitsch - the Creative Empire podcast
Feb 19, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined with Tani Mitsch of Splash of T Design for an empire mentoring session. Today, we are learning that Tani is struggling with content creation and bring consistency to that routine. The trio talk about the best platforms for your audience and discuss which topics fit with your audience. Also discussed are calls to action and how to use those with a freemium.
Main Takeaways:
How to decide what to create content around + consistency [0:02:45]
What mediums work best + topics [0:13:47]
Where your call to action leads [0:17:31]
How to figure out + creating a freemium [0:20:11]
Whenever you’re going to start something new in your business thinking about why you’re going to do it is always important.
I have a rule of thumb though that I try everything for three months and then, I re-evaluate.
— Christina Scalera
Bio:
Created out of her love for print and layout design, Tani Mitsch founded Splash of T Design to help others create personalized, professionally designed projects to celebrate their individuality and unique personalities. Her love of wedding stationery played a huge role in creating the company, as her circle of friends moved from engagement to marriage, and her unique spin on wedding invitations was always sought after. She received her BFA in Graphic Design from San José State University, and over her professional career, she discovered her passion for editorial design when asked to create style and brand guides, product portfolio brochures, and catalogs for several major brands including Ghirardelli Chocolate Company and San José State University, and of course wedding invitations for her friends. She just loves working with and organizing content on paper! She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, Jeff, and loves spending time with her family and adorable (but mischievous!) husky, Nali. She enjoys baking and cooking, the outdoors, camping, watching comedy TV shows (Seinfeld is her favorite!), stargazing, and even though everyone thinks she's crazy, she truly loves stormy skies over blue ones. Oh, and if you couldn't tell by her company name, she absolutely LOVES tea! :)
Episode 178: All About Surface Pattern Design, with Bonnie Christine - the Creative Empire podcast
Feb 15, 2018
In this episode, Reina and Christina are joined with Bonnie Christine. Bonnie Christine is a successful service pattern designer and to date has taught over 50,000 students the art of surface design. She's excited to be launching an all new course, "Surface Pattern Design Immersion". At the beginning of the episode, Bonnie shares about what surface pattern design is and how her new course will teach students the ins and outs of how to become a licensing artist. After that, she shares about the skill needed to become a designer and what has been happening in the industry since she was last on the podcast. Lastly, she shares how residual income has transformed her businesses and all about the new course she has created. Take a listen below!
Main Takeaways:
What surface pattern design is + how she got started [0:02:07]
What her new course, "Surface Pattern Design Immersion" is composed of [0:04:22]
How skilled do you have to become a designer [0:09:28]
What success stories Bonnie Christine has seen + joining the industry [0:14:17]
What does licensing look like [0:20:36]
What the differences are between her old courses to this new one [0:28:23]
How residual income works for her business [0:30:29]
There were no courses, no teaching, no books, and no one talking about how they were doing this. So, I spliced together information from all over the internet, and I learned Adobe Illustrator by watching a couple of guys illustrate robots and tessellating lizards.
What I’ve done is created exactly what I would have died to have taken when I wanted to pursue this career.
— Bonnie Christine
Bio:
Sophisticated and delicate, Bonnie Christine’s designs transcend time and brighten up the past. Bonnie weaves a small part of her life into each pattern she creates, making the design process and end results meaningful and unique. She lives nestled back in the forests of North Carolina where she finds endless inspiration from the mountains around her. Stay connected with her through her blog, Going Home to Roost and attend one of her classes on surface pattern design on either CreativeLive or Skillshare.
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Episode 177: Fear, Strengths, + Confidence, with Christy Wright - the Creative Empire podcast
Feb 12, 2018
Today, we’re talking with Christy Wright. Christy is the creator of the Business Boutique; she’s a certified business coach and a speaker who’s spoken on stages all across the country. She is also a podcaster. She’s the host of the Business Boutique Podcast and has and hosts an incredible one-day event. She’s helped many women step into their gifts and overcome fear, which I absolutely love, to make money living their dreams. She believes that you can do it too and I’m so excited to dive into this conversation. At the beginning of the episode, Christy explains the top three things new entrepreneurs get caught up on: not having a business background, thinking they are in a saturated market, and fear. She shares how to combat those feelings and shares about imposter syndrome. The trio talk about validation in your business and Christy shares how pre-validation can help. Lastly, they talk about needing to know your target market and the value of your product. Take a listen below!
Main Takeaways:
How your past experiences shape you [0:01:30]
What things new entrepreneurs get hung up on [0:05:06]
Why fear is normal + the imposter syndrome [0:11:05]
How you can lessen your fear [0:19:04]
What validation can do [0:21:01]
How to help yourself in the pre-validation phase [0:23:24]
What Christy's one day event looks like [0:31:57]
Why you need to know your target market + value [0:34:23]
You can have all the degrees in the world and if you’re not willing to fall down and get back up, you’re not going to be a successful business, because the secret to being an entrepreneur is experimenting and some of those experiments aren’t going to go well.
— Christy Wright
Show Notes:
Dave Ramsey
Susan Jeffers
Donald Miller
The Business Boutique Podcast - Pricing Episode
Jeff Goins - Real Artists Don't Starve - His Creative Empire Episode
The more that you do it scared, the less scared you become, because fear can’t torment you any more with these terrifying possibilities of what’s going to happen if you do it because you did it. Guess what? You survived.
— Christy Wright
Bio:
Christy Wright is the creator of Business Boutique, a Certified Business Coach and a Ramsey Personality with a passion for equipping women with the knowledge and steps they need to successfully run and grow a business. Since joining Ramsey Solutions in 2009, she has spoken to thousands across the country at women’s conferences, national business conferences, Fortune 500 companies and her own sold-out live events. She is the host of the Business Boutique Podcast and her new book, Business Boutique, released April 2017. You can follow Wright on Twitter and Instagram @ChristyBWright and online at christywright.com or facebook.com/OfficialChristyWright.
Episode 176: Empire Mentoring Session: Niching in the VA Space, with Liz Strong - the Creative Empire podcast
Feb 08, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined with Liz Strong of Lux + Vita for an empire mentoring session. Liz is a branding and website designer that is branching her business into the virtual assistance space. At the beginning of the episode, we learn more about Liz and her business struggles. From there Reina and Christina chat about growing, prioritizing, and niching in your business. Liz chats about how she really loves the organizational aspect of becoming a VA for her clients and the duo tell her to lean into the "done for you" services. Lastly, the trio chat about passive income and how that looks different depending on the type of business you run.
Main Takeaways:
How to grow a business [0:04:22]
How to prioritize in your business + niching [0:07:11]
Why you should lean into "done for you" businesses [0:14:32]
What testing your language can look like [0:20:44]
Why you should find pain-points [0:24:29]
What passive income can look like as a "done for you" service [0:29:18]
Right now I love being able to do different things that just kind of helps me stay creative and it also just helps me learn right now more about all the different businesses.
Write down what you see people having problems with.
— Christina Scalera
Bio:
Hey y'all, I'm Liz, believer, wife, and chai tea enthusiast! I'm also the owner + designer over at Lux + Vita. Lux + Vita is a full-service graphic design studio serving nonprofits and creative entrepreneurs through branding, websites and more. I've been serving others in any way I can through design since 2010. I love helping other solve problems, whether it's design or business related - if you hop on a call with me, you'll probably end up with a page full of tips and sites to check out. When I'm not working you can find me, my hubby and our rescue pup, Delta, exploring our new home state of Texas.
Episode 175: Starting out + Selling A Business, with Debbie Orwat - the Creative Empire Podcast
Feb 05, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined today by Debbie Orwat of the Planner’s Lounge. This episode jumps right in to learning how Debbie sold her businesses and how she determined when outsourcing was needed. The trio chat about organization of your leads and how you can feel when your leads disappear. After that, Debbie shares her favorite lead generating tactics, including: search engine optimization (SEO), personal relations, social media, ads, traditional wedding sites, and referrals. Lastly, she talk about why you should build a lot of relationships at the beginning of your buiness and why establishing trust in your brand is needed.
Main Takeaways:
What selling a business looks like [0:05:41]
What to outsource in your business [0:08:44]
Why you need to keep track + organize your leads [0:10:10]
What disappearing leads can feel like + trends [0:15:59]
Where leads can come from + lead generation [0:28:29]
How to network + create new relationships [0:30:28]
Why SEO + PR can establish trust [0:35:00]
Sometimes it’s just a matter of the personality fit which we can’t help and I always think, if they didn’t hire me, that means there’s another opportunity coming around the corner that either for that date or for something that is an even better fit for me.
I like to think of relationships as the long term marketing strategy.
— Debbie Orwat
Bio:
Debbie is a business coach for wedding and event planners across the US and around the world. She is the founder and editor of Planner's Lounge, a resource site and community for wedding and event planners to relax, talk, learn, and inspire. Through Planner's Lounge, Debbie offers coaching, mentoring, online courses, a private forum community, and digital products to empower wedding and event planners to succeed. In addition to Planner's Lounge, Debbie Orwat is the Founder and Business Advisor for Save the Date Events. Save the Date Events is a multi-award winning event planning and design company based in Denver, Colorado. During Debbie’s 10 year reign as owner at Save the Date Events, the company won numerous awards
including the Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame Award, 2 ICON awards, and was published in more than 30 wedding and lifestyle magazines. Debbie was also featured multiple times on local television stations as the entertaining expert. Debbie is the previous owner of StudioWed Denver, a boutique wedding showroom and co-working space. After 10 years of owning her planning business and 6 years owning StudioWed, Debbie sold both of those businesses in the fall of 2015 to focus on Planner's Lounge.
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Episode 174: Empire Mentoring Session: Focusing In Your Business, with Nicole Logan - the Creative Empire podcast
Feb 01, 2018
Today Reina and Christina are doing a mentoring session with Nicole Logan from staynorth.co. At the beginning of the episode, Nicole chats about how she just moved to Canada and how she is struggling with focusing. The trio begin by chatting about finding your audience and how creating verticals in your business can help you create consistent content. They also discuss how having people around you and your business, can help you flourish. Lastly, they talk about visibility and the mediums to be sharing your content on, like guest posting on other peoples blogs.
Main Takeaways:
How to find out who your audience is [0:03:26]
How to create content consistently [0:09:36]
Why verticals can help you in your business [0:13:14]
Why you should have people around you [0:15:39]
What mediums you can use for visibility [0:18:42]
How to look at "empty" time [0:25:37]
What plan will Nicole create [0:29:58]
I’m hoping that I can use my posts and my stories and the things that I encounter in daily, weekly, whatever it may be, and inspire people to take the challenges that come up to them and if it means moving out of the country then and by so, then go ahead and do it.
I need to stop, you know, just daydreaming about all the things I want to do with it and then just do it.
— Nicole Logan
Bio:
Nicole Logan is a self-taught handlettering artist and published freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She recently took a giant leap of faith by leaving her job, packing her life up, and moving north to beautiful Calgary, Alberta to pursue an education (and live closer to her boyfriend!). She has dedicated the last 8 years of her life working in the media, primarily in print and radio. She is fascinated with the hygge lifestyle, enjoys teaching herself new skills and loves conversing with strangers while in line for coffee.
Episode 173: Our #1 Downloaded Episode | How to Get Organized In Your Business, with Jillian Smith
Jan 29, 2018
Today we are sharing our most downloaded episode of all time!
Episode 86: How to get organized in your business, with Jillian Smith
In episode 86 of the Creative Empire Podcast, Reina and Christina talk to Jillian Smith of OneTouch Events, LLC . Creative Empire Podcast. Jillian is a boss at getting organized and staying on task. She shares her top tips and favorite tools for getting organized and how to develop systems that work for you. Also included in this episode are how to find opportunities that are different than what you're currently getting and how to develop your company's core values.
Main Takeaways:
How Jillian organizes her business now and what it looked like when she first started
What Jillian's favorite organizational tools are
How to develop systems that work for you
How Jillian incorporated international travel into her business
How to find opportunities that are different than the ones you currently have
How Jillian strategizes with her clients + how she organizes that strategy
Jillian Smith is the Owner and Principal Wedding & Event Planner of OneTouch Events, LLC. Based in Atlanta, GA, her team specializes in giving every occasion from social events to multi-day business conferences a touch of “WOW”. Jillian is one of Jezebel Magazine’s 2016 Emerging Elite and an expert panelist of The Wedding Business Academy. You can find her business, planning, and leadership tips featured on The Planner’s Lounge, WeddingLovely, Heather Crabtree, and Happy Black Woman.
Episode 172: Empire Mentoring Session: Financial Mindset + Setting Goals , with Magen Ferrer - the Creative Empire podcast
Jan 25, 2018
Today Reina and Christina are chatting with Magen Ferrer of The Lefty Writer for an empire mentoring session. Magen is a calligrapher who does wedding stationary calligraphy, spot calligraphy, and offers custom fabric pieces. The episode begins with some chat from Magen about what she is struggling with and why she is holding back from going full time. The ladies share that looking at the financials of your business and having financial goals, will help ease her mind. They chat about ways to increase your prices in the future, but the work that goes into it now: having a unique style and systems for your clients. Lastly, they talk about how leaning on your strengths can do wonders and goal setting in your business.
Main Takeaways:
What is holding her back from going full-time [0:03:04]
Why you need to start looking at financials for your business [0:04:40]
What two things can help to increase prices in the future [0:09:26]
How long your quote pricing lasts [0:11:30]
How to engage clients + gain clients [0:13:52]
Why using stock photos can help a product based business [0:21:20]
Why you need to lean on your strengths [0:29:35]
How goal setting can really help your business [0:34:07]
Don’t forget what the bottom line is especially in this really critical stage of your growth as you’re bridging that gap from full-time worker to full-time entrepreneur.
if you don’t know where money is coming from or you don’t have any confidence that things are coming from particular revenue streams or when they are coming in, you really can’t have a sustainable business.
— Reina Pomeroy
Bio:
Hey everyone! My name is Magen (totally spelled correctly) and I am the calligrapher, owner, and operator of The Lefty Writer, LLC. Let's start with some background info first. I am 28 years young, (freaking out a bit about 30!), a happily married Christian wife and full-time stepmomma of two pre-teens, (Lord, send help!), a full-time airport employee and part-time student, (hectic schedule alert?), a book nerd, (HP⚡️and G⚔️T foreva), and an unstoppable maker of all the things, ALL the things! (Seriously, Michael's should pay me to shop there.) I have always had nice and neat handwriting and always loved making my notebooks, planners, and bedroom wall signs pretty and organized. When I was fifteen I begged my mom to buy me a quill feather and a bottle of ink so I could write like Harry Potter - it didn't work out so well, and I didn't have Google or YouTube or any internet really to teach myself properly. So, I tucked away my feather and ink and settled for using good ol pencils and pens to maintain my handwriting until I reached my twenties. That's when I stumbled upon some calligraphy videos online and decided to seriously discipline and teach myself. Fast-forward to today! I have officially been in business for one full year, and I am working my butt off to turn this love of mine into both my passion and my full-time income. I'm sure you've all heard that quote, "When you do what you love, you never work a day in your life." Well, that's not quite true. I am doing what I love and working my...well, you know, working my BEHIND off while doing it. The difference is I'm working because I love it. And in my opinion, that is the absolute best and most fulfilling feeling anyone can have in their career. And that, my friends, is where my story is headed. Totally #goals, right?!
Episode 171: All About FreeeUp, with Nathan Hirsch - the Creative Empire podcast
Jan 22, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined today by Nathan Hirsch, who is a serial entrepreneur and an expert in remote hiring and e-commerce. The trio start the episode by learning more about FreeeUp. Nathan explains how the idea was born, what the platform looks like, and the process looks like if you are looking to hire or be hired. He shares what he sees the top positions people who are just starting a team hire out. Lastly, he shares how freelancers can benefit by being on the FreeeUp platform.
Main Takeaways:
How the Freeeup Marketplace was born [0:01:34]
When to start outsourcing + the strategy [0:05:48]
What the FreeeUp process looks like + comparisons [0:07:39]
What type of people are on their platform [0:11:05]
What the five to ten top positions to hire as a first worker are [0:15:26]
How to become a worker on Freeeup + who would be a good fit [0:18:16]
How FreeeUp helps freelancers [0:25:53]
When you’re an entrepreneur, get away from your computer for a day and go make a list of everything you do on a day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month basis, and then put it in order from easiest to hardest. Start taking the easiest stuff off your plate. Even if it’s an hour or two a day, just get those hours back so you can focus on expansion.
I think people can use contractors way more than they could before. I kind of mentioned this that I had this realization a while ago. But if you’re just hiring from your town and the towns around you, you’re so limited into the talent you have access to.
— Nathan Hirsch
Bio:
Nathan Hirsch is a serial entrepreneur and expert in remote hiring and eCommerce. He has been selling online for over 7 years and has sold well over $25 million worth of product through his eCommerce business. He is now the co-founder and CEO of FreeeUp.com, the hands-on hiring marketplace connecting hundreds of online business owners with reliable, pre-vetted remote workers. FreeeUp is redefining how businesses are able to hire remote freelancers online. He can be found on leading podcasts, such as Entrepreneur on Fire, Eventual Millionaire, and many more, speaking about online hiring tactics. He currently lives in Orlando, Florida.
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Episode 169: Educational Nugget - Three Legal Steps to Get Your Business Up, with Christina + Reina
Jan 15, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are sharing a new type of episode! The educational nugget episodes are here to help you learn about business practices that can help your business succeed. Today, Christina is sharing some pertinent legal steps to get your business up and running.
Main Takeaways:
What you need to have a business + contracts [0:05:47]
How contracts were not easy for Christina [0:11:45]
How the Contract Shop was created + templates [0:16:07]
What an EIN (Emplyer Identification Number) is [0:24:48]
Why you need to open a business bank account [0:27:51]
Why an LLC is beneficial [0:28:05]
What business licenses + business insurance do [0:31:24]
Why you need to have privacy policies + terms and conditions on your website [0:39:34]
We’re just mapping out and outlining what the relationship is with our client and this is something that you can even explain the clients to take away some of the icks some of the fear around the contract.
I’m just illustrating a point and that sometimes it’s better to be work expedient and do the efficient thing as a business owner than it is to follow every single rule that’s possibly out there to a tee. If there’s going to be something that comes around and bites you on the butt, you’re going to deal with it at some point and that’s going to happen no matter what in your business.
— Christina Scalera
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Episode 168: Empire Mentoring Session: Teaching + Scaling Struggles, with Sarah Barrett - the Creative Empire podcast
Jan 11, 2018
Today, Reina and Christina are joined by Sarah Barrett of Sarah B. Calligraphy for a creative empire mentoring session. Sarah creates wedding stationery for brides nationally. At the beginning of the episode Reina and Christina ask Sarah about what she is struggling with. Sarah shares about wanting to teach the behind the scenes of a calligraphy business and how she wants to teach that to others. They discuss what unique value propositions are and how that can influence your audience. Later, they discuss membership sites and how to establish yourself as a teacher. Lastly, Reina shares about her verticals method and how having content buckets can really help you narrow down your focus.
Main Takeaways:
How teaching + mentoring can be part of your business [0:02:25]
What you do can help shape your unique value proposition (UVP) [0:03:45]
How to ask your audience about what they want [0:07:45]
Why membership sites can be daunting [0:08:54]
What success looks like for her + how to get there [0:12:50]
How teaching is not for everyone + sharing trade secrets [0:17:44]
How to establish yourself as a teacher + content creation [0:28:54]
How Reina's verticals guide can help you + content buckets [0:32:38]
I think I’ve always had that teaching heart and even helping heart to really help people either build their business or find something that they really want to do and stick to it and really build on their passion.
Believe it or not, if you have your own business, you have full control over your calendar. It’s our responsibility to take the clients that we can take and set the timelines that we want to set. I think as service providers, we need to be dictating that. We need to be telling people this is the expectation.
— Reina Pomeroy
Bio:
My name is Sarah Barrett, and I am the owner of Sarah B. Calligraphy. I create wedding stationery for brides nationally who value the art of heirloom calligraphy and attention-to-detail. Although I am a graphic designer by trade (BFA in graphic design), I am a calligrapher by heart. My passions include supporting and helping other creatives with their businesses and empowering brides with lettered details for their wedding. Living in the state of hospitality, you can be sure that my customer service is spot-on with a bit of southern flair!
Episode 167: Automation + Productivity, with Haley Burkhead - the Creative Empire podcast
Jan 08, 2018
Reina and Christina are joined today by Haley Burkhead of Market Beautifully. Haley is a Marketing Strategist and she helps entrepreneurs map out where their marketing can take them. As we dive into the episode, Haley jumps in to talk about how sytems and processes can be the foundation of your business. She shares how Asana can help with projects and the flow should look like this: evaluation, projects and brain dump, then due dates, then action. The trio chat about what a "normal" day looks like for Haley and she shares that ConvertKit should be the first automation tool to start with. Lastly, Haley chats about what projects are next for her and how to stay productive as a business owner.
Main Takeaways:
How strategy + systems can become the foundation of your business [0:03:29]
What some productivity tips are + hacks for Asana [0:05:17]
Why to be consistent with Asana or Trello [0:14:21]
What a normal day looks like for her + being an extrovert [0:16:25]
How automation makes her business easier [0:19:55]
What systems to start with for automation [0:22:01]
Why you need to listen to your audience [0:25:03]
What the new "90-day profit lounge" will be + writing a book [0:30:30]
How she stays productive [0:33:42]
The more strategic you are, the more time you’re going to have and the more productive you’re going to be.
I'm Haley, a marketing stylist that works with lady entrepreneurs through my programs and services so that they can create sales on autopilot through authentic marketing strategies. I have been in the entrepreneur realm for 6 years now and recently founded Market Beautifully two years ago which people also associate with the Market Beautifully podcast I host every Monday. We focus on conversion, strategy, and scaling the beautiful business every lady has poured their heart and soul into.
Episode 166: How to Survive 8+ Months with NO Social Media, with Shanna Skidmore - the Creative Empire podcast
Jan 04, 2018
Today, Christina and Reina are joined with second time guest Shanna Skidmore. At the beginning of the episode we dive right into the decision Shanna made to leave social media and how it has affected her. She shares about the scary side of silence in your business and how to market more effectively in your business. Lastly, she talks about her signature model, the Blueprint Model.
Main Takeaways:
How getting off of social media has affected her [0:01:05]
How it was going from saturation to silence + the transition [0:06:03]
What to focus on if you do not have a huge community [0:13:14]
Why to find out who your audience is + where are they hanging out [0:15:55]
What the best ways are to market your business [0:21:15]
Who is your "power of one" - meaning who are you serving [0:23:06]
What are the foundations to be focusing on [0:28:38]
What her Blueprint Model Program is + who it is geared for [0:38:26]
We are trained and conditioned for saturation. That is scary. We don’t like quiet.
Shanna Skidmore is a business strategist and financial coach. Nicknamed the “dream-releaser” by her clients, she helps entrepreneurs make money doing what they love by building profitable & sustainable businesses. For the past 10 years she has been immersed in the world of small business development and finance. By studying patterns of success, she now coaches and consults with creative entrepreneurs on business principles she found to be key indicators of success. Her background in finance, psychology and art, have allowed her to marry the world of business and creativity. Her greatest joy is watching others transform their stories and build businesses & lives they love!
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Episode 165: Jam Session with Reina + Christina, A Different Way to Ring in the New Year with Your Business
Jan 01, 2018
This jam session episode features Reina and Christina chatting about a different way to ring in the new year. In this episode they chat about their hopes and desires for 2018 and failures from 2017.
Main Takeaways:
What 2018 Creative Empire is going to look like [0:03:34]
Where Reina is at with her goals from 2017 [0:04:20]
Where Christina was in 2017 [0:05:29]
How Christina traveled all over in 2017 + stress of work while traveling [0:11:15]
What travelling to Japan was like for Reina [0:13:25]
How Reina's personal challenges has impacted her business [0:14:15]
What their favorite memories have been so far [0:19:28]
What Reina's goals for 2018 are [0:25:23]
What are Christina's goals for 2018 + potential projects [0:27:27]
What Reina is planning for 2018 [0:36:30]
What they both have learned in 2017 [0:45:07]
What success in 2018 will look like for both of them in 2018 [0:49:38]
I think when your personal life is tougher, it weighs you down in terms of what you can get done on your business side.
Being impactful. How can I make an impact in a positive way? For that that means, me stepping into a more visionary role.
— Christina Scalera
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Episode 164: All About TED + TEDx Talks, with Ryan Hildebrandt - the Creative Empire podcast
Dec 28, 2017
Today, Reina and Christina are chatting with Ryan Hildebrandt, the face behind getyourfirsttedtalk.com. He founded a TED Talks event (TEDxLeamingtonSpa) in 2015, so he knows the ins and outs of what event decision makers want, how they choose speakers and the mistakes people make most often. The first thing Ryan dives into is how he became a TEDx organizer and the differeces of TED versus TEDx. He shares about the application process and shares helpful tips if you are thinking to apply to be a speaker. Lastly, he share why you should choose to be a speaker at a TED or TEDx event.
Main Takeaways:
How Ryan got started as a TEDx organizer [0:02:21]
What the difference is between TED vs. TEDx [0:04:35]
What the application process looks like for TED + TEDx [0:08:19]
Why women should apply to be a TED +TEDWomen speaker [0:10:42]
What is a good or bad topic to pitch [0:18:15]
What the four things are to have a good talk [0:28:00]
What are some pro-tips for a TED application [0:33:47]
Why you should do a TED talk [0:42:46]
You owe it to yourself to at least investigate how you can make [a TED talk] a reality.
If you’ve dreamed of doing a TED Talk one day but aren’t quite sure how to get there, Ryan’s your guy. He founded a TED Talks event (TEDxLeamingtonSpa) in 2015, so he knows the ins and outs of what event decision makers want, how they choose speakers and the mistakes people make most often. Now, he shares these insider tips on how to get invited to do a TED Talk on a site called GetYourFirstTEDTalk.com. Fun fact: Ryan can be manipulated into doing almost anything if you give him peanut butter, Argentinian Malbec, or carrot cake.
Episode 163: Bookkeeping + Processes, with Stephanie Thacker - the Creative Empire podcast
Dec 25, 2017
Joining Reina and Christina today is founder of Steadfast Bookkeeping Co, Stephanie Thacker. Today we are talking all about the in's-and-out's of bookkeeping as a small business owner. Stephanie jumps right in by talking about how she came to be a bookkeeper for creatives and the unique challenges she sees that creatives face. The trio discuss the "feast and famine" mindset and she shares how to overcome that with budgeting. She shares tips for budgeting. Lastly, she chats about her process and the nitty-gritty of bookkeeping, like not mixing your personal and business funds.
Main Takeaways:
How Steadfast Bookkeeping started + how she became a bookkeeper for Creatives [0:02:13]
What some unique challenges for creative business owners are [0:04:14]
How to step out of the feast and famine mindset [0:07:34]
Why budgeting is so critical as business owner [0:13:28]
How to look at the value as a return on investment (ROI) [0:18:59]
Why her process is seamless + hiccups along the way [0:29:15]
Why you should not mix personal funds with business funds [0:34:38]
What is a business expense + saving receipts [0:38:12]
How to protect yourself for audits [0:42:32]
I think part of the reason and I really love working with Creatives is just the ambition that I see and just having that go-getter attitude.
Stephanie Thacker is an all around Florida girl who loves being outdoors. Born and raised in Florida, she can’t imagine being anywhere else. Spending the day at the beach with her husband and daughter is her absolute favorite thing to do. She’s also very active in her local church and enjoys leading women in ministry there. She is the founder of Steadfast Bookkeeping Co. which she started in 2011. Steadfast exists to empower small business owners to run the business of their dreams while feeling confident and secure that all financial aspects are handled and your records are being cared for. They offer full service monthly bookkeeping support as well as monthly consulting and general bookkeeping education.
Episode 162: Work Ethic + Branding in Your Business, with Timeesha Duncan - the Creative Empire podcast
Dec 21, 2017
Today, Reina and Christina are joined with Timeesha Duncan of the Bombshell Branding Agency. Timeesha is a serial entrepreneur, brand strategist and visionary who loves working with female entrepreneurs who are tired of playing a small game in their industry and want to claim their spot at the top. At the beginning of the episode, Timeesha dives right into how she became a creative entrepreneur and how work ethic is important to be a successful entrepreneur. Timeesha share tips for finding your brand voice and chats about finding your ideal clients. The trio then dive into a discussion on knowing your worth and how to be good to yourself. Lastly, they chat about creating a buzz behind your brand and what exactly Timeesha calls a bankable brand.
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Main Takeaways:
How she got into the creative industry [0:01:55]
How work ethic is the biggest thing behind creating a personal brand [0:06:03]
What some tips are for finding your brand voice [0:08:36]
How to convey your results to your ideal client [0:13:33]
Why you should vet your clients [0:17:52]
What some tips are for knowing your worth [0:23:09]
Why unfollowing people can benefit you [0:26:41]
How to create buzz for your brand + pattern interruption [0:31:17]
What a bankable brand is [0:37:59]
You cannot compare you’re beginning to somebody else’s middle or even your middle to somebody else is middle because you don’t know what they’re walk in life was.
Timeesha Duncan is the Founder and Creative Director of The Bombshell Branding Agency. Timeesha is a serial entrepreneur, brand strategist and visionary who loves working with female entrepreneurs who are tired of playing a small game in their industry and want to claim their spot at the top. While little girls were playing with dolls, at 8 years old, Timeesha was cutting out fashion model images from her parents Ebony and Jet magazines. She started dancing at 3 years old, and began working in the fashion and music industry at 15 years old as an editorial and runway model and professional dancer. Throughout her career in entertainment, she’s worked for and performed with artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Eve, Missy Elliott, Puff Daddy, Nelly to name a few. At 19, Timeesha began working behind the scenes as a celebrity makeup artist and co-produced theater shows. After moving from NY to Atlanta, in 2006, she started working for the most iconic brand in the world, The Coca-Cola Company, working for the Executive Vice President of the company. There, she learned more of the secret sauce to creating brand magic, on a corporate level. Throughout her 9-year tenure she formed several businesses, Tim Duncan Events, Luxe Branding Co and The Quit Your 9 to 5 Academy to name a few. In 2015, she left the corporate world to pursue her passion full-time to help other powerhouse entrepreneurs become marketable and be influencers in the world. Timeesha is also an International Best Selling Author of the book, The E.S.C.A.P.E. Plan, and Crush The Competition. She is a keynote speaker and resides in Atlanta with her husband and business partner, and two sons.
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Episode 161: Empire Mentoring Session: Finding Value + Setting Goals, with Jesi Parker Ekonen - the Creative Empire podcast
Dec 18, 2017
Today, Christina and Reina are joined with Jesi Parker Ekonen for an Empire Mentoring Session. Jesi is a designer from Michigan and the owner behind Just Follow Your Art gift shop. The trio dive head first into what Jesi is currently working on and talk about what type of content she is creating. They talk about showcasing and leading with value as a business owner. They then discuss how to pre-validate ideas if you are a product based shop and your not sure which direction to head. Lastly they discuss goals and the importance of having one as a product based business.
Main Takeaways:
How to behind a sales goal + black Friday talk [0:03:52]
How content is being pushed out + type of content [0:10:09]
What showcasing your value can look like [0:12:34]
Why you need a unique value proposition [0:17:53]
How values can make you stand out [0:19:14]
How digital downloads can help pre-validate ideas [0:21:39]
Why you should watch other seller when you are first starting + testing ideas [0:27:01]
Why a product based businesses need to set goals [0:29:47]
"My art is a reflection of who I am, and part of that are my values." -Jesi
"The reason why I market around the holidays is because those big companies have already done the leg work for me and put people into a buying mindset." -Christina
Bio:
Jesi Ekonen is the MI designer and owner of Just Follow Your Art gift shop. Just Follow Your Art is home to pretty & witty hand lettered gifts and decor. Jesi's art is sometimes inspirational, often relatable, and always paired best with a cocktail. Feel good about your purchase- a portion of all proceeds are donated to a cause near and dear to the artist. Cheers!
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Episode 160: Systems, Processes, + Feedback, with Morgan Montgomery - the Creative Empire podcast
Dec 14, 2017
Today, Christina and Reina are joined by Morgan Montgomery who owns Paisley & Jade which is a vintage and specialty rental company out of Virgina. Morgan jumps right in talking about how her and her co-founder began their business. She discusses how they set up systems, procedures, and processes which helped them as they grew. The trio chat about finding the right clients and asking for feedback. Lastly, Morgan shares a bit about the company culture and how a team can be a great asset.
Main Takeaways:
How she began Paisley & Jade [0:01:28]
How they set up their business when they first started + systems [0:05:45]
Why procedures + processes help you integrate core values into everything [0:10:46]
What she would have done differently earlier on [0:17:12]
What some tips are for finding the right clients [0:23:42]
How to ask for honest feedback [0:25:58]
Why processes can turn into sales tools [0:31:08]
How they are changing their branding [0:32:45]
Why they have see growth this year + are having their busiest month yet [0:36:27]
What the internal culture looks like + "weird chicken" [0:37:43]
How the team culture can be so exciting [0:40:28]
Take the right business as opposed to just any business.
Make sure you give it the time that it needs to work.
— Morgan Montgomery
Bio:
A New England native, Virginia resident, and lover of all things modern, clean-lined and loud, Morgan discovered her passion for unique and vintage finds as she designed and propped shows while working towards her B.A. in Theatre from The College of the Holy Cross. With years of sales and customer service experience behind her, she spent three years in the trenches of the off-premise catering world before co-launching Paisley & Jade, a specialty rental company serving the Mid-Atlantic, in 2012. Morgan’s passion for business and events extends beyond the walls of P&J, and she loves to share her knowledge through the Paisley & Jade specialty rental coaching program and by speaking at national conferences such as NACE Experience, Lend & Gather, and The School of Styling. An active member of NACE on the local and national level, she is a past president of her local chapter and also currently serves on the NACE National Board of Directors as the Treasurer. Morgan’s personal and professional work has been featured extensively in national and regional publications, including Southern Weddings, Richmond Magazine, Sage Wedding Pros and The Huffington Post.
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Episode 159: Finding the Story Behind Your Business, with Michelle Khouri - the Creative Empire podcast
Dec 11, 2017
Joining Reina and Christina today is Michelle Khori. Michelle is an arts and culture writer and the host of The Cultured Podcast. From the beginning the trio dive right in to chatting about Michelle's business and how she started her podcast. She shares tips on how to write your own bio and reflects on how bullying has impacted her and her business. Michelle shares about her consulting business, plus lots of helpful tips for new business owners.
Main Takeaways:
How she helps people tease out their stories [0:04:44]
What her tip is for helping you write a bio [0:08:25]
How bullying has impacted her business [0:10:15]
Why she created The Cultured Podcast [0:14:07]
How she reaches her target demographic and audience [0:16:22]
What her consulting business can do for your business + results [0:19:56]
How to maximize client experiences [0:28:42]
What a consultant vs a team member feels like [0:30:19]
How to set effective boundaries [0:32:33]
What combating burnout can look like [0:38:11]
There is so many products on the market that what differentiates those are the vision, they why of those products, the belief.
I am a firm believer that every single human – actually, every living thing, has a cool interesting story.
— Michelle Khouri
Bio:
Michelle Khouri is an arts and culture writer and the host of The Cultured Podcast, a weekly show that unearths intriguing perspectives in art, theatre, travel, design and literature while digging at the roots of what inspires us. Aside from her work as a storyteller, Michelle helps businesses bring their narratives to life as a branding and content development consultant. Visit www.michellekhouri.com to learn more about her consulting work and www.culturepodcast.com to get your weekly dose of culture.
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Episode 158: Clarity + Funnels, with Jessica Rodriguez - the Creative Empire podcast
Dec 07, 2017
Joining Reina and Christina today is a big influencer in the creative community, Jessica Rodriguez, who is a business and visibility strategist. She is also the host of the #daydreamachievers podcast and movement, which serves purpose-driven women and helps them scale their online business from four-figure months to six-figure years. The trio start the episode by talking with Jessica about how she started her business and how it has transformed many times. Jessica gives us lots of reasons and actionable tips about finding clarity in in your business. The conversation is then shifted into funnels and how you find what people need, to help your own business. In the end, Jessica shares her tool to map out funnels for you.
Main Takeaways:
How entrepreneurship started for her [0:01:33]
What some of the limiting beliefs in this creative industry are [0:06:40]
How being aware of your weaknesses can help your business [0:09:45]
Why you have to get clear before you brand + spending money [0:12:10]
What going towards your goal looks like with Jessica [0:17:03]
Why you have to change your mindset to shift your business [0:19:24]
What are Click Funnels are + how they can grow your business [0:21:20]
How to really start selling + finding out what people need [0:29:42]
Sometimes there’s different ways that you can express that creativity for yourself.
— Jessica Rodriguez
Bio:
Jessica Rodriguez is a Business and Visibility Strategist, Podcast Host, and founder of the #daydreamachievers™ movement - serving purpose-driven women scale their online business from four figure months to six figure years, without compromising the life they truly want in order to do so. Within the first year of her business, she went from working 4 jobs and carrying $120k worth of debt to replacing her income to become a full-time lifestyle entrepreneur along with becoming completely consumer debt free just a few years later. Through her 1:1 work and her Achievers Circle membership community, she has committed herself to helping women create their own freedoms in life - both personally and financially. When she’s not helping people create massive growth in their online business, you can find her curled up on the couch with her husband and furbabies Netflix binging or traveling to the next adventure life brings. Jessica can be found at thedaydreamachiever.com.
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Episode 157: Dressing For Your Stay At Home Career, with Shelley Cohen - the Creative Empire podcast
Dec 03, 2017
Joining Reina and Christina is Shelley Cohen of From Shelley with Love. Shelley is a personal stylist and interior designer, plus has an amazing blog! The trip dive into the conversation by talking about what clothes the wear at home while they work and why you should be showing up for yourself. Shelley explains that you may not feel like you need to get dress, doing it will actually make you feel better. She shares tips to help us get ready in the morning, like cleansing your closet, as well as shifting you mindset and straying from negative self-talk. In the end she chats about why we should wrap ourselves in clothes we love and re-frame how we think about ourselves.
Main Takeaways:
Why you should be dressing for your stay at home career (0:02:15)
What showing up for yourself means (0:05:30)
How you just have to fake it until you make it to feel better (0:13:34)
How to identify negative self-talk + shifting that (0:18:14)
What some tips are to help you get ready in the morning (0:21:55)
Why you need to evaluate + start a morning routine (0:24:17)
Why to spend time in the "today" (0:30:35)
Why you should wrap yourself in clothes you love (0:36:51)
How to re-frame how to feel about yourself ( 0:39:05)
I’m a huge advocate for slowing down, slow dancing with your morning and just being a bit more in touch with that good little voice.
What you wear is just another way of self-expression and showing up for yourself. You’re worth everything and more.
— Shelley Cohen
Bio:
Shelley Cohen is a personal stylist & interior designer who helps big-hearted girl bosses style themselves and their spaces for maximum creativity, energy & confidence! From closet cleanses (that are wayyyy more fun than juice cleanses, BTW), to picking out the coolest outfits for an upcoming event or conference, to giving your home office a sparkly makeover (from anywhere in the world!), Shelley will wield her magic style wand and have you saying “OMG - I can’t believe this is me!" Learn more at fromshelleywithlove.com
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Episode 156: Jam Session with Reina + Christina, Shop Small - the Creative Empire podcast
Nov 30, 2017
This jam session episode features Reina and Christina chatting about shopping small this holiday season. This episode is really for those who want to be conscious in where we put our money. The duo start by chatting about what entrepreneurs feel like when someone buys from them. The chat about Reina's Heart Centered Holiday Gift Guide and about how shopping can make you feel. In addition, Reina and Christina share some of their favorite small businesses to buy from.
Main Takeaways:
What having someone buys from you feels like [0:02:08]
What the Heart Centered Holiday Gift Guide is [0:04:56]
How to deal with decision fatigue [0:05:30]
Why shopping from smaller online businesses is worth it [0:07:12]
How to treat holiday guilt [0:13:20]
How to accept gifts graciously [0:17:01]
Why you are a driver of the economy [0:20:01]
What some gifts that give back are [0:21:14]
Reina + Christina's favorite small businesses + gifts [0:26:47]
How you can buy products outside of Amazon [0:35:39]
If you want a gift that really wows and delights, I think looking small is going to give you that wow factor.
If you have an opportunity to spend money on gifts that give back, please do that.
— Reina Pomeroy
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Episode 155: Beginnings + Branding, with Leslie Wong - the Creative Empire podcast
Nov 27, 2017
Today Reina and Christina are joined by Burgundy Fox co-founder Leslie Wong. Burgundy Fox empowers women to celebrate themselves by combining authentic lifestyle content with curated intimate apparel for all sizes. The trio start out by discussing how Leslie decided to start a subscription box service. They also discuss packaging and how to create changes in packaging, plus keeping it on brand. Lastly, they discuss what bringing on a co-founder looked like and how growing her team has helped the brand.
[ctt template="4" link="5oIv0" via="no" ]It definitely takes time to create awareness and that is hard.[/ctt]
Bio:
Leslie Wong is the Founder and CEO of Burgundy Fox, an e-commerce brand on a mission to celebrate all bodies and empower women. After experiencing how unenjoyable lingerie shopping was, she set out to create a more modern and inclusive experience that celebrated all women's bodies and minds. Leslie has 10 years of marketing and partnership experience, is an advisor to companies HoneyBook, Cloudspotter, Curvy Unicorn and serves on Rising Tide Society's Creative Council. She spends her free time practicing vinyasa yoga, listening to business podcasts and enjoying all the great food Chicago has to offer. Connect with Burgundy Fox on social @burgundyfoxco
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Episode 154: Core Values + Content Creation In Your Business, with Marie Parks + Jessi Honard - the Creative Empire podcast
Nov 23, 2017
Today Reina and Christina are joined by Marie Parks and Jessi Honard of North Star Messaging + Strategy. They serve purpose-driven entrepreneurs and help them figure out what is their outward facing message. The two started the conversation by talking about how they began working together. They transitioned into talking about finding uniqueness in your own brand as well as core values. Once you find those, the ladies talk about finding your core pillars that will drive your content strategy.
Main Takeaways:
How the two women began their partnership [0:01:39]
How to really find your uniqueness + stand out qualities [0:04:23]
Why you should focus on core values [0:10:47]
How to feel in control of your content + core pillars [0:14:17]
What an example of an effective content strategy looks like [0:21:23]
Why you need to find a place to start with consistency [0:27:20]
What some pieces to create time for [0:29:40]
What is important to notice about your competition [0:36:35]
I think it’s so possible to try new things and to tap in to new things while digging deeper rather than spreading wider.
You can change what you do and you can change how you do it but you can’t change who you are.
— Jessie Honard
Bio:
Jessi Honard is a self-professed word nerd whose copy packs a powerful, persuasive punch. She puts her years in marketing + education to work, empowering entrepreneurs to achieve big results. Marie Parks is a compulsive writer with an eye for detail (thanks to years of nonprofit grant writing) and the coveted ability to combine heart + logic. Her copy makes readers stop, drop, and read. Together, they help purpose-driven entrepreneurs find their true north and make a lasting positive impact.
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Episode 153: How to be Deliberate In Your Online Business, with Davey + Krista Jones - the Creative Empire podcast
Nov 20, 2017
This Creative Empire podcast episode Reina and Christina chat with Davey and Krista Jones of daveyandkrista.com. This power couple specialize in helping businesses create brands and websites that are, not just beautiful but also compelling, and encourage your visitors to take action. At the beginning the Davey and Krista duo dive head first into SEO and how it can really help your business. They share the 3 main pillars of SEO which are: strong content, building relationships (especially through linkbacks on your site), and user experience. After discussing the ins and outs of SEO they jump on to chatting about having a content strategy and how blogging needs to be deliberate for you. Lastly, we talk about mindset shifts and pivoting while in your business.
Main Takeaways:
How SEO can optimize content for your ideal clients [0:03:27]
What the 3 main pillars of SEO are [0:06:03]
How they define content strategy [0:07:48]
Why to be super deliberate on your blog [0:09:44]
What shifts have looked like for both of them [0:15:32]
What mindset shifts you need to make to pivot [0:20:54]
Why "shiny object" syndrome happens [0:27:27]
What some ways to get pre-validation [0:34:12]
If you’re not making little changes every day, you are not growing.
As the person goes through your feed, you have to be compelling enough for them to stop looking to what you’re doing.
Bio:
Davey and Krista are brand strategists and designers who specialize in helping businesses create brands and websites that are beautiful, compelling, and encourage action. After building a successful photography business and launching the Rising Tide Society, one of the largest communities for creatives in the world, Davey and Krista decided to make helping creatives run better businesses their full time gig. They believe in chasing hard after an intentional life—one that includes fulfilling work, palm trees and blue skies, time with the pups, and—of course—wine and pizza.
Episode 152: Living By Design, with Katie Den Ouden - the Creative Empire podcast
Nov 16, 2017
Reina and Christina are joined today by Katie Den Ouden and Katie is an entrepreneur, freedom lifestyle coach and holistic business strategist. She teaches ambitious women how to live and lead by design instead of by default so that they can become the womEn that they’ve always known they can be. At the beginning of the episode Katie jumps in to talk about the difference between living by default and living by design means. Shes asks us all why we are not living more intentionally and helps us to think about how to cut out the fluff. She talks all about the abundance mindset and why we should shift to that.
Main Takeaways:
What living by default means + living by design means [0:01:45]
What it looks like to live by design [0:04:15]
How to identify seasons + what is essential [0:06:49]
How to start being intentional in your business design [0:13:43]
What her 90 day set-up looks like + cutting out the "fluff" [0:15:22]
What the abundance mindset looks like + how to shift into this [0:29:43]
How to fit service-based activities in your business [0:34:02]
It’s not really designing our lives if we’re just imitating someone else or following someone else’s show, someone else’s rules.
As a business owner, you can’t be on 24/7 all the time 365 days of the year.
— Katie Den Ouden
Bio:
Katie Den Ouden is an entrepreneur, freedom lifestyle coach, and holistic business strategist teaching ambitious women how to live & lead by design instead of default, so that they can become the woman they’ve always know they can be. Katie's work {programs, challenges, experiences} meet women in the season of becoming - as a woman, leader, and luminary - and gives the strategy, soul, sisterhood, and self-care to get there.
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Episode 151: Empire Mentoring Session: Finding Focus + Client Insight, with Nicolette Fernandez - the Creative Empire podcast
Nov 13, 2017
Photographer and founder of Avner Road Photography, Nicolette Fernandez, is Reina and Christina’s guest on The Creative Empire podcast in this Empire Mentoring Session. The trio dive right into talking about focusing in on aspects of business and what rescue time really means. They share how time tracking can really help you as a business owner, to see what parts of your business are taking the most amount of time. The trio also discuss finding focal points in your business and how client communication is critical to help your business grow.
Main Takeaways:
How to figure out where to dive in and focus on investing time in a certain area of business + rescue time [0:01:58]
How time tracking can help you figure out what you're spending your time on [0:03:30]
What working or in your business looks like + finding focal points [0:06:39]
Why to figure out where you clients have came from + ask them questions [0:12:52]
Why to trade your services to build your portfolio [0:20:52]
How to determine your focal points [0:24:46]
How listening to people can help you figure out how your ideal clients feel [0:26:53]
As soon as you call yourself something, it’s almost like you see everybody else who is out there doing it.
It takes dedication to not do all the things so that we can concentrate on the things that matter most to us.
— Nicolette Fernandez
Bio:
Nicolette is a wife to her sweetheart, mama to an active toddler and believer that joy can be found in the everyday. After 9 years as a college administrator, she took a leap of faith to stay home with her son and launch her photography business full time. She realized her business could be used as a way to pursue her passion of motherhood and serve her family, while using her creativity to encourage and serve others. Nicolette specializes in lifestyle sessions for newborns and branding for creative entrepreneurs. These niches allow her to run alongside her clients, celebrating with them, pouring in words of love and support, while providing images that share their story.
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Episode 150: Canadian Laws for Creatives, Ava Aslani - the Creative Empire podcast
Nov 09, 2017
Today Reina and Christina are joined by Ava Aslani of Essentia Law, an attorney from Canada. Ava is here chatting all about how laws in Canada are different. At the beginning Ava and Christina really bond over learning all of the differences and similarities of the law. They chat about things from a trademark registration, to a copyright registration, to online business structures. They also talk about what it looks like to work with people across the border regarding laws.
Main Takeaways:
What some things to consider as a business in Canada [0:01:50]
What the pros and cons of a BC Company and a Federal Company [0:05:33]
What does a trademark look like in Canada [0:10:21]
How copyright law works in Canada [0:13:03]
What some examples of copyright infringement are [0:15:45]
What moral rights are and how it works in Canada [0:18:18]
How to do business across country boundaries [0:22:39]
How to enforce your contracts + the benefit of taking payments [0:26:39]
What the tax systems loos like when crossing the border [0:32:12]
I think the key wherever you’re looking for your CPA is to make sure that they’re familiar with cross-border transaction issues.
It’s important because we have to consider these international rules and regulations as online business owners.
— Ava Aslani
Bio:
Ava grew up in Toronto but the mountains and the ocean drew her to the west coast and she moved to Vancouver in 2010. She completed her law degree at the University of British Columbia, after which she articled at the Vancouver office of one of Canada’s largest national firms. She moved to the Okanagan Valley in 2014 and practiced as a general solicitor prior to launching Essentia Law to combine her legal training with her passion for innovation and Entrepreneurship. Ava’s business law practice is focused on providing effective and practical legal solutions to small businesses in a variety of areas including business formation, corporate structuring and reorganizations, and corporate governance. She particularly enjoys working with emerging and growth-stage companies in the technology industry and assisting on the unique legal challenges they face.
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