Growing Steady | Intentional Creative Business Podcast - podcast cover

Growing Steady | Intentional Creative Business Podcast

Wandering Aimfullywanderingaimfully.com
We’re Jason and Caroline Zook, a husband and wife team running two businesses together and trying to live out our version of a good life in the process. In this business podcast, we share with you our lessons learned about how to run a calm, sustainable business—one that is predictable, profitable AND peaceful. Join us every Thursday if you’re an online creator who wants to reach your goals without sacrificing your well-being in the process.
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Episodes

254 - Real-time FINAL launch update (3 of 3, Jason only)

This is part three of our 3-part series sharing the real-time updates of our LAST-EVER launch of our un-boring coaching program WAIM Unlimited. As of recording this FINAL installment, we have just 12 hours left in the launch 😱. You’ll get an update on our total sales numbers, what went on the last week (another death in our family 💔), and the final things happening in the last day. 🔗 Track our daily sales: https://sales.waim.co 💻 See the coaching session tool: https://preview.waim.co (expire...

Jun 23, 202518 min

253 - 10 most common questions we get asked

Since we've been running WAIM, certain questions come up over and over. In this episode, we’re answering the top 10 things we hear most from creative business owners who feel stuck and don't know what to do next. We cover: How to increase sales without feeling pushy How to get clarity on what you're building and who it's for How to overcome fear and self-doubt …and 7 more honest, practical questions that we think every solopreneur asks themselves at some point! Whether you're considering WAIM Un...

Jun 19, 202542 min

252 - Real-time FINAL launch update (2 of 3, Jason only)

This is part two of our 3-part series sharing the real-time updates of our LAST-EVER launch of our un-boring coaching program WAIM Unlimited. As of recording this second installment, we are 1 WEEK post-launch and have 1 week to go! (This is the "Sahara Desert" part of the launch.) You’ll get an update on our total sales numbers, how our boosted IG content is doing, and our adjusted plan for the next week due to a death in the family 😢. Hope you enjoy this and we'll share one more real-time upda...

Jun 17, 202523 min

251 - The 3 human skills you need to be building in an AI content world

With AI rapidly multiplying the amount of content flooding every platform (40m vertical videos PER DAY 😬), we’re facing an era where information is no longer scarce... it’s commoditized . So what actually becomes more valuable in a world drowning in content? In this episode, we share the three human skills we’re doubling down on in the year ahead. These are core skills we believe will stand out more than ever: Storytelling : The shift from tip-based to narrative-driven content, and why holding ...

Jun 12, 202533 min

250 - Real-time FINAL launch update (1 of 3)

If you love hearing the behind the scenes of a product launch, then you are going to thoroughly enjoy this 3-part series for our LAST-EVER launch of our un-boring coaching program WAIM Unlimited. As of recording this first installment, we are 24 hours post-launch and have 2 weeks to go! You’ll get to hear how our pre-launch waitlist went, where 44% of sales have come from so far, and how close we are to our initial low goal already. Hope you enjoy this and we’ll have two more of these episodes! ...

Jun 10, 202525 min

249 - How we're learning AI tools without overwhelm

If you’ve ever felt like you’re already behind in the world of AI (or like you need to try every new tool just to keep up) you’re not alone! In this episode, we introduce the idea of slow-learning AI: a calm, intentional approach to staying curious without getting overwhelmed. We share specific strategies we’re using to create boundaries, focus our energy, and integrate tools that actually serve our business goals (instead of just distracting us with new shiny objects). Don’t bury your head in t...

Jun 05, 202532 min

248 - What’s changed with launches?

Are digital product launches dead? Not at all! But in 8 years, we’ve noticed a few changes and we wanted to share what we’ve seen firsthand. How many sales emails matter? Do you actually need launch bonuses? Is there value in using AI to write sales page copy or does it sound too… AI? Here’s what we cover in this ep: Why pre-marketing matters more than ever (and how to start sooner) The power of “carrots” and launch events to drive urgency Why inboxes are cluttered and what to do about it How sp...

May 29, 202539 min

247 - 6 tools we *MIGHT* build next year

We are many months away from 2026 and the big shift in our Wandering Aimfully business, but we wanted to pull back the curtain and share how we ideate business ideas BEFORE they see the light of day. This episode, we hope you get to hear how we brainstorm, how we go back and forth, and when we get excited (or not) about a potential new idea. In 2026, we’re going to shift from monthly coaching to building tools using AI no-code platforms (like Lovable). These are a handful of the ideas we might e...

May 22, 202553 min

246 - The Future-Proof Creator (what still works in 2025?)

With AI taking off like wildfire, algorithms shifting like crazy, and tactics expiring faster than ever… what actually still works in 2025? In this episode, we’re cutting through the chaos to ground you in what remains true in online business today. If you feel like you're fighting a current right now, you're not alone! We cover... The three foundational things that still drive results (and always will) From dwindling blog traffic to the decline of vague offers How to adapt to fast-moving trends...

May 15, 202546 min

245 - We asked AI to interview us...

If you’re like us and using GPT (or Claude, etc) on a daily basis, then you have an AI that is gaining context about you constantly. With that in mind, we decided to ask AI to come up with questions they thought would be compelling for us to answer! In this episode, we have two AI Speakers joining us to ask us questions about our businesses, content creation, and our lives. The AI voices were created using Descript and the questions were created via ChatGPT. We thought this was SUPER interesting...

May 08, 202552 min

244 - Back on Instagram after 3 years: Month 1 recap + Month 2 plan

We’re one month into our return to Instagram after a 3-year break, and in this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on what’s working, what’s not, and how we’re approaching Instagram in a way that actually feels good (and sustainable). Spoiler: we’re not here to growth-hack, we’re here to experiment, stay aligned with our business, and TRY to enjoy the content creation process. We cover: What our first month back looked like (formats, topics, opt-ins, and spaghetti-throwing) Surprising lesson...

May 01, 202557 min

243 - How we’re (currently) prepping/planning our parental leave

With just a few months to go before our Tiny Zook 🐣 arrives (!), we’re sharing how we’re approaching parental leave—not as a step-by-step guide, but as a real-time snapshot of our intentions, plans, and mindset. Whether you’re expecting, planning a business sabbatical, or just curious about building more space into your business, this one’s for you. Here’s what we covered: The values guiding our decision to take this time seriously: calm, presence, rest, and bonding Our loose timeline, includin...

Apr 24, 202549 min

242 - Why we're ending WAIM Unlimited (part 2)

This is the second part of our discussion about retiring our WAIM Unlimited coaching program. We are going to do ONE final enrollment period in a few months and we answer some of your questions about this decision. The questions we answered in this ep: How are we feeling confident when it comes to the money side of this decision? Do we have savings? Other skills we can fall back on? Are we freaking out about this at all? Monthly coaching has been so valuable for our customers, why would we stop ...

Apr 17, 202540 min

241 - 5 signs it's time to pivot your business

How do you really know when it’s time to move on from an offer you’ve built your business around? In this episode, we’re sharing the four indicators that helped us make the decision to wind down WAIM Unlimited—insights we hope will help you reflect on your own path. We dive into: What it feels like to fall out of love with your offer (and why that’s not a failure) When your results no longer match your effort—and why that’s worth paying attention to How a strong pull toward something new can be ...

Apr 03, 202544 min

240 - Why we’re ending WAIM Unlimited (part 1)

After six incredible years, we’ve decided to retire our flagship program, WAIM Unlimited (after one FINAL upcoming launch). In this episode, we’re walking you through exactly why we’re making this sizable change. Retiring WAIM Unlimited didn’t come from burnout or panic… but from clarity, alignment, and a desire to move into our next chapter with intention. We’ve been business coaches for 72 months and we’re excited to take things in a new direction! Here’s what we cover in this ep: What a final...

Mar 27, 202552 min

239 - Spring 2025 Launch Recap (lower sales, big lessons, and future shifts)

Our latest WAIM Unlimited launch was smaller than expected, but instead of panicking, we’re using it as a chance to adapt, experiment, and pivot. In this launch recap episode, we’re breaking down: The details of our Spring 2025 launch (amidst first trimester, new 6-month option, and our very minimal marketing effort) Why we think sales were lower this time (hello, economic uncertainty, changing buyer behavior, and declining web traffic) What we’re doing differently moving forward (getting back o...

Mar 20, 202559 min

238 - We’re having a baby! 😱 (Fertility journey update)

This episode is a special one—because we’re pregnant! 🎉 We want to share our journey so far, from navigating fertility struggles to getting our positive test (on New Year’s Eve, no less!), and what the first trimester has been like for both of us. We’re covering: The fertility challenges we faced (Ep #223), including two pregnancy losses and the diagnosis that changed everything What it was like to start daily blood thinner injections and progesterone How we found out we were pregnant and why i...

Mar 13, 20251 hr

237 - 4 steps to make your next launch feel CALM

This episode goes out to anyone who has felt stressed during a launch! We want to help change that for you and we have 4 steps that ensure your launches are calm, profitable, and feel effortless. THE biggest mistake we see folks making when doing live launches is not enough planning and prep time (our own customer survey data showed 75% of people plan a launch in 4 weeks or less). Not giving yourself enough time leads to overwhelm, a lack of pre-marketing, and what we call a “floppy launch” (rea...

Mar 06, 202545 min

236 - Business is overcoming these 6 roadblocks

Whether you’re JUST starting a business or you’re making a pivot, there are 6 roadblocks that likely get in your way. Are you stuck at just one of them or do all 6 have you in their grips right now? In this ep, we explore the thoughts that keep business owners from moving forward (especially early on). The 4 Qs we mentioned in the episode that every biz owner needs to be able to confidently answer are: Who do you help? Why does your business exist and why would someone choose you over your peers...

Feb 27, 202558 min

235 - 7 changes in online biz you shouldn’t ignore

When we started Wandering AImfully in 2018 the online business landscape was in a lot of ways the same, but in some ways VERY DIFFERENT. In this episode, we share 7 huge changes/shifts we’ve seen in the online business space. Some are obvious (🤖👀) and some have snuck up all of us. The most important takeaway: You can either fight the current of change or you can turn into it — as much as feels right to you — and make a few concessions to continue to have a thriving business in 2025! 🔗 Links: ...

Feb 20, 202547 min

234 - We built an accountability app with NO CODE!

If you can’t tell, we are pretty bullish on no-code tools right now and we’re excited to share this episode talking about how we built an accountability app/game for our membership community! We walk through why we think creating tools is an alternate marketing path instead of creating content for social media. While everyone is focusing on Reels, TikTok, etc, you could be making tools without the need of a developer OR any design skills at all. The tool we’ve been using is called Lovable and yo...

Feb 13, 202551 min

233 - Is NOW the right time to diversify?

With all the hullabaloo around the TikTok ban, it’s got us thinking about the topic of diversifying your marketing versus focusing. Is it smart to put all your eggs in ONE marketing basket? How can you create safeguards for your business? We’ve been huge advocates of email list building for 10+ years and while social networks come and go, our email inboxes are still the most valuable channel in our minds. Whether it’s TikTok, IG, YouTube, etc, we believe it’s never been more important to grow an...

Feb 06, 202537 min

232 - Tools for managing self-sabotage

Ahhhh, self-sabotage, otherwise known as overthinking or just unintentionally getting in our own way. We’re all guilty of it, but how can do it a bit less? Whether it’s hiding in your “creation cave” or avoiding sending sales emails so you don’t feel sleazy, there are a handful of ways we limit our business potential that are of our own doing (we know, this is a tough love ep!) We highlight 4 ways we’ve encountered self-sabotage and that we see from a lot of our community members. Then, we give ...

Jan 30, 202540 min

231 - Invent a new social media app? (and other Qs!)

If we could create an entirely new social media app, what would we do? Do creators have a responsibility to share their failures? What are our biggest business risks we’ve taken? These questions and more came from our podcast producer (GPT 😂). There were some fun topics and we hope you enjoyed them. Let us know if you did and we’ll keep the AI-generated questions coming for future episodes. Also, we did mention Lovable again, the AI app we’re gushing over to help us build tools without code! 🔗...

Jan 23, 202543 min

230 - The BEST tool we've used in years!

Today we’re excited to share what we feel is the biggest game-changing AI tool since OpenAI released GPT a few years ago. We’ll talk about why this tool has consumed all our free time and how we think it can be impactful for your business too! The tool is called Lovable and it’s a no-code, prompt-style, app/idea development interface (that does NOT require you to know how to code at all). 🔗 Try Lovable for free at https://bit.ly/jasonlovable (aff link) Lovable is the first AI app we’ve used sin...

Jan 16, 20251 hr 7 min

229 - Predictions for 2025...

We don’t normally do prediction episodes, but this year we thought it would be fun! At the end of 2025 we can look back and see how right/wrong we were (spoiler alert: we will probably be wrong in all of them — lol). This year, Caroline will be focusing mostly on Wandering Aimfully (WAIM) and Jason will be focusing mostly on Teachery. We each shared two predictions that the other person didn’t know we were going to share about those businesses. Then, we each brought 3 predictions for the online ...

Jan 09, 20251 hr

228 - Our 2024 review and 2025 preview

2024 is in the rear view mirror and we have an episode reviewing what went well, what didn’t go well, and our look ahead at 2025! We love doing these reviews and hope you enjoy hearing about the good, the bad, the disappointing, the tough, the awesome, and also all the things we thought were going to happen but didn’t (hey, that’s life 🤗). 🔗 If you want to read the full 2024 Review/2025 Preview (with photos and charts): https://wanderingaimfully.com/2024-review *** 😏 If you’ve been thinking a...

Dec 16, 20241 hr 20 min

227 - How'd our first Black Friday deal in 7 years go?

It’s hard to believe we haven’t sold anything on Black Friday/Cyber Monday in 7 years! But, this year it made sense for us and we break down why and how things went. We cover: What we sold, what it took to put the sale together (emails, sales page, automations, etc), what mistakes we made, and the final revenue numbers! You can see the sales page we created, learn more about the Calm Launch Formula ✌️🚀, and even get access to the free course preview we forgot to email about (lol!) at: https://w...

Dec 12, 202446 min

226 - A (real) messy convo about social media

We went back and forth on sharing this episode, as it’s one of our more “real” and honest conversations. While we love sharing polished thoughts with you all, our relationship with using social media is SUPER messy and so we figured we’d just record and have at it 😂. Not sure there are big takeaways from this episode? Maybe just to find out if you’re #TeamJason or #TeamCaroline? Where do you stand with using social media for your business? We’ll definitely record another episode (or two 🙈) as ...

Dec 05, 20241 hr 20 min
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