The Jasmine Star Show

Latest Episodes:

7 Pivots in Business Led to THIS Moment Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

Hold tight, friend - we’re taking a deep dive into my story and the many pivots that I’ve taken in order to be standing here today.

As a bootstrapped founder, I’ve learned many lessons, encountered many challenges, and pivoted MANY times.
At each turn, I was uneducated, unfunded, unqualified, and unprepared to start a new business, but I did.
In my first year of business as a photographer, I earned six figures.
Within three years, I got awards for my work and traveled the world with my camera. My career took off, and I began creating content, teaching, and consulting, which generated multiple 7-figure revenue streams. Here’s a peek at my career iterations…

2006: Photographer

2010: Content Creator

2012: Consultant

2015: Course Creator

2017: Membership Founder of Social Curator

2020: SAAS CEO of Social Curator
When we built our own tech stack on the inside of Social Curator in 2020, I had no idea how to run a tech company. I was paralyzed with fear, and the responsibilities intimidated me.
I was seriously so nervous about going to the tech meetings that my stomach churned with acid waves.
But more than that fear, I loved our team. I was determined to learn as fast as I could, so I invested in coaching, mentors, and communities to figure out how to actually run a software company.
Now, Social Curator integrates with all of the major social platforms and helps entrepreneurs plan, create, and schedule their content, saving them so much time and energy.
Our upgraded platform debuted earlier this month, and the feedback was incredible.
We celebrated by hosting a free masterclass that showed our attendees how to create a month of content in less than two hours with our upgraded platform. (Wanna learn more about Social Curator? Click >>HERE<<)
Friend, I hope that hearing these challenges and lessons that I’ve learned over the past several years will help you in some way.
Click play now to hear all about:

[00:06:37] How I started my photography business
[00:08:59] My career iterations, from being a photographer to a course creator and eventually becoming a CEO of a SAAS company
[00:10:35] The challenges of building a SAAS business as a non-technical founder
[00:14:48] How I scrappily launched Social Curator
[00:17:08] Why I decided to hire a CTO to build our own product and development team
[00:23:46] The process of rebuilding our tech stack, incorporating new features, and debuting our upgraded platform in May 2023.
[00:25:26] My five simple steps to grow a business.

For complete show notes, visit: jasminestar.com/podcast/episode350

How to Build a Powerful Connection with Your Audience with Laura Belgray Jun 08, 2023

Show notes

Did you know that the human brain is literally wired to LOVE and REMEMBER stories, making storytelling one of the most powerful forms of communication?

Intrigued?
Then you’re gonna love this episode with copywriter and author Laura Belgray, where we chat about her new book, the importance of sharing powerful stories, and creating content when feeling uninspired.

Fun fact: Laura is one of the most loved guests I’ve had on the podcast – if you haven’t yet listened to our conversation “How to Get Paid to be You,” - click >>HERE<< to do so! You won’t regret it!

But back to this episode… you’ll wanna listen in if you’re curious about Laura's approach to writing and her top tips for how and when to incorporate personal stories into your work (and when not to). She also graciously shares her storytelling techniques and how to authentically integrate personal stories into professional content effectively… this episode is a GOOD one, friend. Click play to hear more about:

[00:04:39] Why it’s important to create content even when you’re not feeling inspired and how it can lead to great ideas.
[00:08:10] Practical tips for creating content even when you’re uninspired.
[00:12:36] How to find the linchpin that connects your personal life to your work.
[00:14:33] Laura’s process for finding the takeaway or point of view in stories, even when they start out as just funny anecdotes.
[00:15:24] How to reverse-engineer stories to start with a lesson or point
[00:19:15] The process of writing stories and how the point of the story may not come until after the story is written.
[00:21:18] How revealing personal stories in business can create a connection with your audience.
[00:24:09] Incorporating personal stories into writing and making them specific to bring them to life.
[00:26:33] Laura’s tips on finding your voice when writing
[00:30:20] Why Laura chose to write a memoir-based book instead of a prescriptive book, despite pressure from others
[00:32:23] Why it’s important to do what brings you joy, even if it's unconventional.

If you’d like to connect further with Laura, visit Talkingshrimp.com. You can also follow Laura on Instagram at @laurabelgray and listen to her previous episode on the Jasmine Star Show >> HERE <<

More about Laura:

Laura Belgray is the founder of Talking Shrimp, co-creator of The Copy Cure, and author of Tough Titties: On Living Your Best Life When You're the F'ing Worst. An award-winning copywriting expert, she helps entrepreneurs find the perfect words to express and sell what they do in a way that gets them paid to be themselves. Through her work with hundreds of clients (including online biggies like Marie Forleo and Amy Porterfield), she’s seen firsthand that putting “you” into your copy and all through your business is pure magic for getting people to love you up, sharing your ideas, and happily click your Buy button. In addition to online types, Laura’s list of clients and credits include NBC, Bravo, HBO, TBS, Fandango, and many, many more. So if you watch TV -- and don’t skip the commercials -- you've probably seen her words on air. Tough Titties, her first book, comes out via Hachette in June 2023.

For complete show notes, visit: jasminestar.com/podcast/episode349

Is it ever ok to move a deadline? Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever set an unrealistic timeline to hit a goal or complete a project?

Actually, let me rephrase that.

Have you ever started a project and set a deadline by which the project should be done - and then at some point realized that deadline was going to be harder to hit than you thought?

I’ll be honest: this has happened to me.

Multiple times.

In fact, in 2020 our team was working tirelessly to prepare for a big promotion. We had set a deadline and, after a few weeks, I realized that it was going to be hard to meet it.

I was talking this through late one night with JD and he asked me, “Why can’t you move the deadline?”

His question (though annoying in the moment) was brilliant. It helped me realize that I had unknowingly applied a meaning to the deadline - if we hit it, it meant we were a capable team.

But that wasn’t at all true. It was just a story I was telling myself.

So I started asking myself a different question: could I have the courage to change the deadline without it meaning something about myself and/or my business?

If the answer was yes, I needed a framework to know if changing the deadline was in the best interest of our team and our customers. If you’re in need of this framework - I call it the “decision to delay” framework - then click play now to learn:

[00:29] How the best business owners think about deadlines
[01:22] The decision I faced in 2020 on whether to push back a deadline
[03:04] What I learned about the meaning I was applying to deadlines I created
[06:10] The decision I faced in February 2023 on whether to push back a deadline
[09:19] The “decision to delay” framework that I used with the team in February
[12:09] What I was thinking and feeling as a CEO back in February
[15:56] What I learned from choosing to delay

For full show notes, visit jasminestar.com/podcast/episode348

How to Ask Questions that Get Results May 30, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to an episode of the Real World, friend.

A show that I was definitely not allowed to watch when I was younger, unlike all of my friends (not bitter at all).

All of this to say, a couple of weeks ago, I announced on Instagram something incredible that happened in the business, and it was a moment that made me feel extraordinarily proud and blessed.

I signed with a speaking agency and officially became a represented public speaker.

In this episode, I’m sharing the full story with you – and it all started at a mastermind where I learned to ask the right kind of questions - the questions that get results. I’m sharing this story NOT to brag… but to provide you with the exact framework for asking questions that I learned so that you can apply it to your own business. Click >>PLAY<< to hear all about:

[02:30] How my word for the year is coming into fruition
[04:39] How I phrase questions to open up to possibilities
[06:34] Why you need to ask specific questions
[09:20] The first time JD and I impromptu met Gary Vee before his conference
[11:39] What I learned from asking Gary a question
[13:19] The epic text my mentor sent me during a recent mastermind when I was struggling to come up with a question
[19:50] How my question helped to connect me to Jay Shetty, co-founder of House of 1212 (the agency that now represents me)
[25:46] When I knew that Jay Shetty/House of 1212 was the right choice
[27:38] The exact framework I now use for asking results-driven questions that you can apply to your own business

For complete show notes, visit: jasminestar.com/podcast/episode347

How to Get the Most Profitable Leads for Your Business with Rory Vaden May 23, 2023

Show notes

Ok, ok, so if you listened to my recent conversation with Rory (Episode 341: How to Discover Your Uniqueness and Gain the Recognition You Deserve), you might have asked yourself: How exactly do I make money after I do the work to build my brand?

In other words: how do I use this information to build a profitable business and not just have a shiny brand?

If that was your question, then this episode is for you, my friend. Grab a notebook or open a Google doc and get ready to furiously take notes as Rory spills the tea on what to do to use your uniqueness to serve others AND make a profit.

Click play now to hear Rory and I talk about:

[02:16] Building a Brand and Making Money
[03:06] Finding Your Brand DNA
[05:44] Creating Trademark-Worthy Frameworks
[08:14] Investing in Writing Your Own Story
[09:53] Crafting a World-Class Presentation
[15:40] Using the Power of the Pause
[21:51] Monetizing Personal Brands
[24:20] Giving Away Everything for Free (aka Rory’s content strategy)
[26:02] Monetization Strategies (you’ll want to write these down)
[30:45] The Importance of Referrals
[31:30] Generating Leads Online (hint: it’s all about the DMs)
[36:25] Selling without Pressure
[39:33] The Rule of 10 (or how to create loyal followers)
[43:39] Finding uniqueness and creating content

If you’d like to connect further with Rory and his team, visit freebrandcall.com/jasminestar to sign up for a free call. You can also follow Rory on Instagram at @roryvaden and @brandbuildersgroup and listen to his previous episode on the Jasmine Star Show about building a brand right >>HERE<<.

A little bit more about Rory:

Rory Vaden, MBA, CSP, CPAE is the New York Times bestselling author of Take the Stairs: 7 Steps to Achieving True Success and Procrastinate on Purpose: 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time. A recognized expert in business strategy and leadership, insights have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNN, Entrepreneur, Inc, on Fox News national television, and in several other major media outlets. As a world-renowned speaker, his TEDx talk has been viewed over 4 million times, he is a 2x World Champion of Public Speaking Finalist, has been called one of the top 100 leadership speakers in the world by Inc Magazine and was recently inducted into the professional speaking Hall of Fame. He is the Co-Founder of Brand Builders Group and the host of the Influential Personal Brand Podcast.
For complete show notes, visit: jasminestar.com/podcast/episode346

The Framework You Need When You Pivot with Sam Parr May 16, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a pivot?

Perhaps you’ve ended (or are moving away) from one aspect of your business (or even your entire business) and you’re moving towards something else - but aren’t fully sure what that something else is.

You feel both confident in your decision and uncertain about what’s next … and are looking for a framework on how to navigate this “middle” season.

If you’ve been in this place - or perhaps you’re there right now - then this episode with Sam Parr is exactly what you need.

Click play right now to hear our conversation about pivoting and business building, including:

[04:34] Sam’s definition of the “messy middle” of a pivot
[05:55] The 4-way Venn diagram Sam uses to help figure out what’s next and determine product market fit
[08:00] Sam’s “research and plot” method to learning from others
[13:10] The importance of measuring risk - and how to do it
[23:30] How to figure out whether you’re in alignment with a potential life or business partner
[30:35] What counting the cost means - and how it makes a difference
[38:28] How Sam thinks about negative feedback and uses it to grow

If you want to learn more about Sam, you can follow him on Twitter or Instagram at @thesamparr. You can learn more about Hampton at joinhampton.com

For complete show notes, go to jasminestar.com/podcast/episode345

Selling without Feeling Sales-y | Interview on the Selling with Love Podcast May 09, 2023

Show notes

I think this episode should come with a warning: Do not listen unless you want practical tips on how to increase your sales without sounding sales-y.

That’s right - this episode is a conversation that I had with Jason Marc Campbell on his Selling with Love podcast and it felt so practical and honest that I asked him if I could share it with you.

(Thank you, Jason!)

If you want to promote your offer but are struggling to do so in a way that feels both strategic and authentic, you’ll want to click play ASAP and hear our conversation about:

[04:59] How to get your first customers to pay you
[08:32] Why creating offers that bring your audience along with you is the key to scalable growth
[12:35] Why copywriting is one of the most important skills for success in 2023
[17:56] The importance of building systems now to create the business you want in the future
[21:04] What my word of the year means to me and how I’m putting it into practice
[24:59] How focusing on the transformation over the transaction in a sale is the key to building a business people can’t help but rave about

Click >>HERE<< for full show notes.

Turn Your Dreams into Reality: How to Avoid Dead-End Questions and Create Possibilities May 02, 2023

Show notes

This episode is not what you think.

Yes, it’s practical - but it’s also real and honest and a little messy.

I get vulnerable and I share that I had a realization last year that I had subconsciously stopped sharing an inside look at my business.

If I’m honest - I stopped sharing because I felt uncertain with how I was doing things and I felt exposed. I knew I was doing things wrong, but I didn’t know how to do it right. Sharing that felt like too much.

But a few things happened in early 2023 that shifted my perspective - and I recommitted to sharing the journey - the good, bad, and ugly - with you.

In this episode, I detailed WHAT happened and the biggest takeaway I learned from it all: avoid dead end questions.

(Dead end questions are questions that lead you nowhere and get you stuck. They don’t have logical answers and use the past to prevent the future).

If you want to know more about this recent shift in my business AND learn how I’ve opened up possibilities by avoiding dead end questions (and how you can do the same), click play. You’ll hear:

[01:25] Why I stopped sharing an inside look at my business
[02:54] How sharing the journey in the past has helped me build a strong brand
[06:00] The conversation I had with JD before a mastermind that shifted my perspective
[08;24] The limiting beliefs I struggled with before attending a mastermind in January
[08:55] The vision JD and I created for our business and our family
[11:00] The mindset shift that has given me confidence to move forward
[15:52] Why JD and I decided to travel as a family with Luna this year
[16:49] What dead end questions are - and how to avoid them so you can turn your dreams into reality

For full show notes, visit jasminestar.com/podcast/episode343

What Showing Up Really Feels Like | Interview on the Made for More Podcast with Carly Meyers Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever looked at someone’s life on social media and thought “why does showing up look so easy for them… when it’s so dang hard for me?”

If so, you’re gonna want to click play on this podcast to hear the conversation that I recently had with Carly Meyers on her Made For More Podcast. We talked about what it truly feels like to show up for our businesses (hint: even when we know it’s the absolute best thing to do, it can feel hard) and how creating strategic content is one of the most important things we can do as CEOs and business owners. Of course, we also chatted about:

[02:28] How results are the key to business growth
[05:16] What to do when you’re putting in the work and not seeing the results
[09:29] The possibility of change
[14:16] How to use comparison to our advantage (hint: it has a lot to do with comparing ourselves TO ourselves)
[16:22] How I create content each month
[21:49] Whether IG or TikTok is better for sales
[29:55] The importance of dedication to your craft and your content
[30:49] The centrality of staying open and vulnerable to others
[32:01] The skills needed to become a leader and not just a business owner
[36:19] The importance of vision in planning for the future

If you need a reminder that the work of building a business is far from easy but that you CAN do it, then click play now… I think you’ll find exactly what you need.

How to Not Get Business Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

I gotta admit: I was nervous to record this episode. So nervous that I actually delayed recording this for two days. My mouth felt pasty as I talked. But I knew I needed to speak my truth and share with you how to NOT get business.So if you’re ready to learn from my mistakes and save yourself a little time, heartache, pain, and resentment, click play now to hear:
- [02:32] What prompted me to record this episode
- [04:04] How I felt when I was second shooting a wedding and the photographer asked me to hand out her business cards
- [05:41] The very important lesson I learned about reputation and trust
- [08:53] My guiding rule when deciding to work with someone (*hint*: how they treat others is likely the way they will treat you)
- [13:29] The importance of clearly stating your terms and never apologizing for them
- [14:32] Why I believe your work ethic and ability will be the things that set you apart
For full show notes, visit jasminestar.com/podcast/episode341a

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