This episode comes out at the end of November, and I know from members in my community that the energy is high and also! A little chaotic. The end of the year is a super important time for many small businesses – certainly MOST small businesses in my community. So we want our marketing to really deliver for us. But creatively… you might be feeling just tapped out. SO If you need some support planning your end-of-year marketing, today’s episode is for you. My goal is to give you some good ideas o...
Nov 22, 2023•18 min
This book was a true goldmine. It is packed full of information and examples, way, way too many for us to deep dive into all of it. It’s worth it to pick up a copy of most of the books we discuss in Book Club, but Fascinate in particular is so dense with info, (in a fun way!), that we couldn’t possibly cover it all in an hour-long conversation. I love this book because of the permission it gives to explore and figure out your unique approach marketing, rather than pigeonholing yourself into pre-...
Nov 15, 2023•54 min
A question for you, listener. How often do you think about networking? The term “Networking” can feel extremely general, and the practice of going into a room full of strangers to try and make connections can seem intimidating. We know it’s good for our businesses to meet new people and build partnerships, but figuring out the right way into a networking situation can feel daunting. My guest today found a lot of success in growing her business through networking, and I love her strategic and tho...
Nov 14, 2023•42 min
HOOOOOOLY MOLY do I have a treat for you. Like, the biggest treat ever. This week, I decided to share with you ALL FIVE of the private podcast episodes coming out this week in Making Good Happen. Making Good Happen is my membership program, and every day Monday - Friday, there’s a private podcast that comes out for members to listen to. So, here's all 5 episodes. Want to join so you get ALL these episodes? Get the details here . MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES: https://makinggoodpodcast.com/205 CONNE...
Nov 07, 2023•23 min
Today, we’re gonna talk about something truly scary for small business owners: MARKETING. In this episode, I'm sharing my best advice for moving past this. MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES: https://makinggoodpodcast.com/199 CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/laurentilden GET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!): https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts...
Oct 31, 2023•12 min
Small businesses are so powerful and make such amazing impacts on the communities around them — especially when they get the support they need. To illustrate this, I was joined by Ibrahima Souare from NYPACE, an incredible organization that mentors entrepreneurs, as well as Tamekia Flowers-Ball of Epiphany Blue, business owner/mentee who participated in NYPACE's program. In this episode, we discussed: NYPACE’s mission Tamekia’s experience at NYPACE with her business, Epiphany Blue How NYPAC...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Today’s episode is about a topic that is near and dear to my heart; How to create and maintain a socially conscious business. My passion for this probably comes as no surprise, given the titles of my podcast and of my membership program, Making Good and Making Good Happen. Many if not most of this show’s listeners are, or want to be, socially conscious entrepreneurs, and it has been such a joy to witness the community forming and growing around this idea. As today’s guest said, it is so vital to...
Oct 17, 2023•43 min
I’ve got to say, Charelle and I really enjoyed chatting about this one. As a book about storytelling, it should come as no surprise that in addition to laying out really helpful ideas and frameworks, Stories That Stick was super well-written and fun to read. This book is chock full of examples, questions, and prompts to get your wheels spinning. If you are someone who feels you don’t have anything to say, or that your story isn’t worth telling, by the time you finish Stories That Stick you will ...
Oct 15, 2023•54 min
HOLY MOLY. TWO HUNDRED EPISODES! I started this podcast in May of 2020, needing something to be excited about in the pandemic. I don’t think I would have EVER been able to dream up all of the things that this podcast has brought me. In the last 3 years, we’ve done 200 episodes. We’ve reached nearly 150,000 downloads. The podcast has led to my favorite place on the internet, my membership program Making Good Happen. Interviewing guests and connecting with all of you has led me to build relationsh...
Oct 11, 2023•16 min
Today is an important episode, because it’s about one of the most important topics we could ever cover here. Getting stuff done. After all, we can have all the big bright ideas in the world, but if we’re not executing on them, it doesn’t really matter. Our ideas can’t change our lives and change the world if we don’t take action to make them a reality. But. How do we ACTUALLY get stuff done? In today’s episode, I share some tips and strategies that I’ve picked up in my own journey with productiv...
Oct 03, 2023•22 min
If you’re like most listeners of this podcast, you first started your business not because you’re an experienced business person… but because you have something you love to do, or you care about, and you decided to make it your full-time gig. And then, you find yourself in the situation we all find ourselves in as small business owners, which is that we have to sell our thing. Our product, our service, our offer. Whatever it is, it’s only a business if we’re selling it… and for most businesses, ...
Sep 26, 2023•38 min
Here’s something I believe with all of my heart You have a superpower. Specifically, a marketing superpower. And I know that probably, we’ve never even met, but I can tell you this with 100 percent certainty. And it gets better! This superpower doesn’t cost you anything. It doesn’t require you to pick up any new skills. It’s something you have access to ALL of the time and you can activate at any time. This superpower is something that can help you connect with your ideal customers, grow your au...
Sep 19, 2023•17 min
It seems like I’ve been saying this a lot lately, but this is truly the most Charelle of books. So much so that the whole second half of our conversation was essentially a clinic on how to incorporate the methods laid out in The 12 Week Year into your own life and business. One of the reasons I was excited to dig into this book with Charelle is because since she read it many years ago, she has baked it’s methods into so many aspects of her own life and business. She also uses it in her work with...
Sep 15, 2023•52 min
I could not be more excited to share my conversation with today’s guest, Miriam Shulman. Miriam is a true force of nature, and I had such a blast talking with her all about how to build a career in the arts, or as a creative. Miriam is an artist and founder of The Inspiration Place, where she helps other artists learn how to profit from their passion or become better artists via online tutorials, coaching, and The Inspiration Place podcast. She is also the author of Artpreneur The Step-By-Step G...
Sep 12, 2023•51 min
Today, we’re talking about launching. What it is, why we should do it, and how to do it well. And if there’s anyone listening to this who feels like this episode might not be for them because they feel like launching doesn't apply to their business model…. Well, I would challenge you on that! Give this episode a listen and see if I can change your mind. Want to learn even more about launching? Check out my membership . MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES: https://makinggoodpodcast.com/194 CONNECT WITH ME...
Sep 05, 2023•20 min
Have you ever just met another business owner and felt an immediate kinship with them? That’s the case with the first time I met today’s guest. My guest today is Amanda McKinney. Amanda is a business and accountability coach specializing in “accidental entrepreneurs.” She is also the host of the Unapologetic Entrepreneur podcast and author of Why Not You? An Accidental Entrepreneur’s Guide to Success. Clearly, Amanda is BUSY, which is why I am so grateful she took the time to chat with me way ba...
Aug 29, 2023•1 hr 6 min
Repeat after me, “Google Analytics.” How does that phrase make you feel? If ‘intimidated,’ comes to mind, you are definitely not alone. Today’s guest is here to tell you that actually, not only is google analytics, or data analytics in general, not scary, but it can be an essential tool in your small business toolkit. Would you believe me if I said having a handle on your data can even be a stress reliever? Aby Blum Sudds offers online business management services & products for visionary en...
Aug 22, 2023•1 hr 1 min
If you’re someone who is considering the future of your small business, this book is worth a read. In it, author Paul Jarvis makes the, (I would say very strong), case for why keeping your business small is the best plan, rather than aiming for growth just for growth’s sake. It should come as no surprise that Charelle and I are very on board with this perspective. There was a lot of head-nodding as we read through Company of One. In addition to outlining the reasons for keeping a business small,...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 18 min
I just have to say I really loved my conversation with today’s guest. On Making Good, we have talked quite a bit about transparency, authenticity, and sharing your story. But storytelling can feel like a huge task, and getting it right can seem intimidating. My guest today, Ché Elizaga Castro, demystifies what it means to share your story as a business owner, and does an amazing job breaking it down into clear, bite-sized pieces. Ché is the founder of Come Alive Co., where she works with entrepr...
Aug 08, 2023•1 hr 12 min
I’ve noticed something about this podcast, and specifically about you, dear listener. And that’s this: You tend to be something like me. The things that I’ve struggled with, so so so often they are things that you struggle with too. Things like self-doubt. Perfectionism. Consistency. And, as we’re talking about today – procrastination. The more I reflect on the topic of procrastination and its role in my own life – which, spoiler alert – has been huge. The more I realize that it’s such an import...
Aug 02, 2023•46 min
It might come as a surprise that we haven’t spent much time talking about website optimization on this show yet. Trust me, when I realized that was the case, I was just as shocked. After all your website, as today’s guest called it, is “your business's home on the internet.” So of COURSE, in addition to it reflecting your brand and personality, we want it optimized for your business’s goals. Elissa Voris joined me on the show to break it all down for us. Elissa is the founder of Elissa Mae ...
Jul 25, 2023•1 hr 17 min
Tools, tools, tools! I love a good tool. In fact, there are MANY that help my business run smoothly. In this episode, I'm sharing my 12 favorites: we'll talk design tools, email tools, productivity tools, and much more. Don't miss this week's SMALL BIZ SPOTLIGHT with NATALIE RANKIN OF VISUAL SPLAT! Connect with Natalie: Instagram: @ visualsplat Website: www.visualsplat.com JOIN MAKING GOOD HAPPEN https://makinggoodhappen.co MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES: https://makinggoodpodcast.com...
Jul 19, 2023•28 min
I’m so excited to be back with this month’s edition of Making Good Book Club, and today we are talking about Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. As the name implies, this book, written by the founders of the project management tool Basecamp, is a book that challenges the assumptions and the traditional approaches to business…. In such a good way. I think you’ll learn a ton from this book and come away inspired to think about things in a whole new way. MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES: https...
Jul 15, 2023•1 hr 4 min
I am THRILLED to share this episode because today’s topic is a Making Good first! Many listeners of the show may know that online education, along with this podcast and other resources, is a large part of how I educate small business owners about marketing. That’s why I was so excited for Melissa Guller to come on the show to explain how YOU (yes, you – even if you don’t think it’s right for YOUR BUSINESS) can diversify your income with online courses. Melissa is the founder of Wit & Wire, w...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 19 min
Today, I'm sharing an episode with you from my members-only private podcast. This episode is all about strategies for productivity in times when you’re having trouble getting stuff done – whether from overwhelm, lack of motivation, or for any other reason. I’m sharing some of my time tested favorite tools and I hope they'll be super helpful for you! JOIN MAKING GOOD HAPPEN https://makinggoodhappen.co MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES: https://makinggoodpodcast.com/184 CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:...
Jul 04, 2023•13 min
Today’s episode is about something that is so, so, SO important – a concept that has changed my life and that I wish I’d put into practice so much earlier than I did. And that concept is what I call IMPERFECTIONISM. In other words, the willingness to do things imperfectly. Because of perfectionism, I’ve spent a lot of my life holding back. Not putting things out into the world, not sharing my work, not showing up. But. Here’s the thing: The only way to get better at something… in other words, to...
Jun 28, 2023•47 min
I’m going to be honest with you dear listener. The topic of this week’s episode is a skill that I would say is NOT in my zone of genius. That’s why I was so excited to sit down with Crystalynn Shelton so I could pick her brain about all things business finance. Crystalynn is a licensed CPA, small business advisor, and a QuickBooks Top 100 ProAdvisor specializing in financial accounting software training, coaching, and consulting. Crystalynn was so so generous with her extensive knowledge of book...
Jun 20, 2023•55 min
Today we are back with this month’s edition of Making Good Book Club, and we’re talking about Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman. Traction is all about how we can best organize our businesses to set ourselves and our teams up for success. The book walks through six key components of a business and dives into how each one can be made more streamlined, and more effective. You guys, this is SUCH a Charelle book, lighting up and inspiring her not-so-hidden inner business organizat...
Jun 16, 2023•1 hr 21 min
In this episode, my guest is my WIFE, Kate Ciurej (happy Pride!) We talk about what it’s like to be the spouse of a small business owner, some of the things small business owners can do to be more supportive partners (and vice versa), the mental load (which, as you’ll hear – in my house, it’s Kate who really carries). We also discussed one of Kate’s big interests: productivity and time management! She shared some great tips for managing tasks and projects that I know will be super helpful to you...
Jun 13, 2023•1 hr 9 min
When the words ‘entrepreneur’ or ‘business person’ come to mind, who do you imagine? Often, we are told that people in business have the most outgoing, loudest voices in the room. My guest today, Tara Reid, is here to tell you that there is very much a place for introverts in the business world, and if you identify as one, you don't have to change a thing. As an introvert myself, there were so many moments in this conversation that resonated with me. If this sounds like you too, get ready f...
Jun 06, 2023•1 hr 11 min
