Let’s talk about how bad social media really is for our mental health and relationships. 🫠 In this honest and vulnerable conversation, Natalie Lue of Baggage Reclaim helps us dig into: Growing up without the internet Realizing social media is a toxic, codependent relationship How your subconscious “goes shopping for flaws and failures” while you scroll The problems with hate-following How to quit stalking ourselves, our friends, our exes, and total strangers online Why we shop more when we’re a...
Mar 06, 2026•32 min•Season 9Ep. 147
I met Mel Mitchell-Jackson in the best way: through a newsletter ad, a ‘wanna chat?’ email, and many texts and virtual coffees since. Today, they’re here to talk about their path from art school to working at Apple HQ to leaving that behind for creative self-employment. Tune in to hear us explore: How to cultivate creative community The realities of what it takes to “make it” in art school & beyond Chronic illness, Long COVID & find a pace you can sustain 3 common traps of over-giving in...
Mar 04, 2026•1 hr 10 min•Season 9Ep. 146
A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a new business friend and peer that sent me into a total tailspin. The TLDR; is that they said something relatively innocuous about my podcast & membership model… And it had me questioning everything about I know about success in online business. In this Clubhouse-exclusive episode, I share more of that story and the pep talk I’ve been giving myself since. To hear the whole thing, join the Clubhouse at offthegrid.fun/clubhouse When you do, you'll ge...
Mar 02, 2026•5 min
Jenni Gritters recently hosted me for a Your Attention is Sacred book club, and I’m excited to share our conversation with you! Tune in as we discuss: Understanding the goals of the algorithms Addiction as a lens to make sense of social media Jenni’s decision to delete her Instagram account The parallels between fractured attention and financial scarcity Reckoning with combative platforms How to protect your well-being if you’re still on social media ⭐️ & RSVP FOR MY BOOK READING IN SAN FRAN...
Feb 27, 2026•31 min•Season 9Ep. 145
Today I’m joined by Cyrée Jarelle Johnson for a deep and thoughtful conversation about spiritual practice, small business, and social media. Together we weave through: How Cyrée crafted his career as a diviner, poet, herbalist + card reader Healing burnout when living with chronic illness and neurodivergence Why Instagram has no elders — and all communities are incomplete without elders Discernment vs extreme skepticism — and how to navigate the internet’s slop era How to blend online & IRL ...
Feb 25, 2026•59 min•Season 9Ep. 144
I’ve spent the past 5 years trying to navigate the internet without handing my data (& life) over to surveillance capitalism. In today’s episode, I’m sharing my current tech stack — the browsers, search engines, email providers, and other tools that I use to share my wrk online without Google, Facebook, or AI overlords. As you listen, please know this effort is a work in progress and always evolving! You can learn my entire process by taking my class OPT OUT: 5 Steps to Break Up with Big Tec...
Feb 20, 2026•29 min•Season 9Ep. 143
Real talk: I can be kind of avoidant when it comes to feedback. I don’t love giving it. I prefer not receiving it. But sometimes that lands me in sticky interpersonal situations. …Maybe you can relate? If yes, you’re going to love this Clubhouse episode, because I’m sharing a follow-up to my conversation with Morgan Evans — where we go through three real-life (and real-biz) examples of how to navigate tough conversations. Tune in to this preview as we talk through: How to offer feedback when a s...
Feb 19, 2026•7 min
Welcome to our most personal episode yet! Today I’m joined by Morgan Evans from Business Casual to talk about the seemingly-simple but often-fraught topic of: feedback . We share a lot of personal experiences and business examples as we get into: What feedback really is Why reviews and random emails aren’t feedback How to give & receive feedback that doesn’t feel like 💩 Ways to create business systems that invite feedback How to resolve conflict with clients/customers/team members Why feedb...
Feb 18, 2026•57 min•Season 9Ep. 142
Last month, I was thrilled to join Karolina Wudniak of Paperwing Studio in the Indie Book Lab! We talked about how I approached self-publishing without relying on Amazon — including the platforms I used, the (costly) mistakes I made, and how much money I’ve brought in from my book so far (revenue AND profit). I also answered lots of attendee questions: Why did you decide to avoid Amazon? & How much could you really? What size audience would you recommend having before going Amazon-less? Is i...
Feb 16, 2026•21 min
If you're stressed about using Spotify, Substack, Google, Instagram, or any other platforms... this episode is for you! Today I'm talking about how to choose platforms & tech tools without selling your soul — and why I'm still on Substack even though I kinda hate it. 🫠 Tune in to hear me break down: Tools vs Platforms Questions to ask before you choose a new tool What to do about the bad politics of platforms Why there's no purity on the internet Four strategies for rethinking your choices ...
Feb 13, 2026•43 min•Season 9Ep. 141
Harry Doull grew up living in a small family hotel in the French countryside. Then he worked for the UN and Google, before leaving tech behind to co-found his candle company, Keap . This week, he’s on the podcast to share why he left tech for candlemaking, and how he’s grown Keap without social media or Amazon — while still garnering plenty of customers, partners, and awards, including landing on Wirecutter’s best candles list . This one’s for all the product-makers out there and anyone who beli...
Feb 11, 2026•59 min•Season 9Ep. 140
Today I’m bringing you something really special— A mini-coaching session and marketing conversation about how to stay visible without social media. It comes from a wonderful conversation I had with Jenni Gritters ’ community last month, where someone asked me: " I just started a business and everyone I’ve talked to has said: ‘oh so you have to make an Instagram.’ My rebellious self is completely against it, but obviously it’s a very slow build without social media. Do you think it’s possible? Ho...
Feb 09, 2026•7 min
Today, I'm bringing together everything I know about growing an online business to explore why sometimes we feel like our businesses just won't work... and then other times they grow wayyyy beyond our capacity. Tune in to this Best Of episode to hear more about: Realizing you're on the Wrong Path & how to get off it The Online Business Growth Escalator What to do when your escalator is broken How to chart your own path for business growth Questions to get clear on where you want to go RESOUR...
Feb 06, 2026•27 min
This week, Nic Antoinette returns to share what really happens when you take a year off your business… and why degrowth is their plan for 2026. Join us for a 90-minute biz friend chat where we explore: The original idea for Nic’s Gap Year How stepping back from work changes your identity What slowing down really requires of us When making less money can be a goal (not a failure) Finding enoughness without succumbing to underearning How we’re right-sizing our work in 2026 & more! RESOURCES + ...
Feb 04, 2026•1 hr 29 min•Season 9Ep. 139
This is an episode preview. The full audio & video episode are available for for Clubhouse Members. Join today for $5. My least favorite thing about starting a business was the overwhelming fear and uncertainty I felt around making money. In the early days, I was drowning in narratives of how most businesses fail, and I’d probably never earn enough to feel supported or successful. But over time… My business started working. More money started flowing. And I built confidence in my ability to ...
Feb 02, 2026•13 min
With the state of the world, it’s easy to believe that creative work is a waste of time. But I believe our businesses, art, and lives can be powerful forces for change. Not just by default, but through simple-yet-radical practices. To help us orient toward personal power and collective freedom, I shared a free class and compiled this list of 50 ways your creative work can be a force for liberation (and fight fascism in the process). Remember: Your work matters. Your art matters. And it can chang...
Jan 30, 2026•14 min•Season 9Ep. 138
Welcome to season nine of Off the Grid! We’re kicking this one off by talking about why I’m kinda closing my business… Or more accurately: how pruning one tree helps another grow. Tune in to hear all about: Abolishing ICE & Standing with Minnesota What I did before I started Softer Sounds My step-by-step transition from side hustle to small business The one strategy that brought in 6 months of $$$ Why I started this podcast… and then almost quit making it The 3 keys to Off the Grid’s success...
Jan 28, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Season 9Ep. 137
In this episode preview, I’m joined by Miana Melendez to talk about the major astrological transits of 2026 and how they might shape our year in creative business. Miana is a Certified Astrologer, Certified Life Coach and Brand Strategist who helps ambitious leaders, divine disruptors and soul led entrepreneurs step into their next evolution of identity, leadership and vocal expression. Tune in to hear us chat about: Why presence is the word of the year How Neptune and Saturn in Aries might shap...
Jan 21, 2026•15 min
Join me for a deep breath, an invitation to release expectations, and an update on what's happening in the Clubhouse before Off the Grid returns on January 28th. And if you want more Off the Grid right now... --> Join the Clubhouse ASAP! Three exclusive episode are going live in the next week: 🌈 3 ways I'm reclaiming my attention, creativity & workday 🧐 WTF are the celebrity entrepreneurs doing? w/ Amanda Laird 💫 Your 2026 biz astro forecast w/ Miana Melendez These episodes are EXCLUSI...
Jan 14, 2026•8 min
At some point last year, I realized I was on my phone… a lot… And I was kind of working all the time…. And while I was promoting my book all about attention … I wasn’t doing the best job of tending to my attention myself! So in 2026, I’m reclaiming my attention, creativity, and workday. Not through grand proclamations or whole-life-overhauls. But through a few small shifts that I trust will help me reconnect with my body, recenter my mind, and reorient toward my deeper vision for Life. Tune in t...
Jan 13, 2026•6 min
Today we're putting the cherry on top of your 2026 marketing toolkit with a long-form episode on trends! To do that, I'm joined by growth marketing strategist Amanda Laird to chat about five things we’re forecasting for the year ahead, including: New ways of building trust 👷 Why we’re bringing big YOLO energy to our marketing ☝️ How online business is going analog 📻 Why Patreon might be the platform to watch 👀 If done-for-you services are making a comeback 🤝 And how courses might fare in 202...
Jan 09, 2026•1 hr 12 min•Season 8Ep. 136
You don’t have to be an extrovert to host events. (I promise.) In today’s episode, I’m talking to licensed therapist and intuitive copywriter Arianna Smith about the event series she’s been hosting since 2023 and how in-person networking has changed her business for the better. If you’re thinking about how to be less online and more IRL in 2026, this episode is for you! Tune in to learn all about: Why Arianna decided to host in-person events & how she found her first venues Different approac...
Jan 08, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Season 8Ep. 135
What are we doing with email this year? And how are we adapting to all the inbox changes? In this episode, Amelia shares her top 3 rules for email marketing and newsletters in 2026. This isn’t another overview of the basics. It’s part-hot-take and part-informed-opinion on things like: Why welcome sequences matter Reasons to let people opt-out of sales cycles The best way to use a waitlist An argument for breaking up with the weekly newsletter & more! Tune in for a free email education, then ...
Jan 07, 2026•28 min•Season 8Ep. 134
Search has always driven web traffic… but what is SEO in the era of AI? And how will that impact our creative businesses in 2026? Today I’m joined by SEO expert, podcaster and romance novelist (!) Meg Casebolt , who’s here to help us understand the current landscape of search and how AI is remapping the web. Tune in to learn: What's shifting in the world of SEO — including AIO, GEO, AEO & LLMEO How these changes might just liberate us from Google… Why you never need to use keyword tools agai...
Jan 06, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Season 8Ep. 133
Happy New Year & welcome to a brand new season of Off the Grid! Today we're kicking off this year-in-biz with our annual creative marketing toolkit — five episodes in five days to set you up for success in 2026! Press play to hear all about it, and tune in this week to learn: Our top 3 marketing strategies for 2026 Need-to-know advice on SEO, AI & blogging in this era of the internet My rules for email marketing + newsletters right now How to network better + host fun events (even if you...
Jan 05, 2026•18 min
Back on January 8th, Amanda Laird and I recorded an episode about the four marketing trends she was forecasting for the year ahead . Now that it’s December, we’re revisiting those trends to talk about what actually happened! Tune in as we recap what happened in the world of creative small business, specifically around: AI, social media, Substack, and IRL events. This is a free preview of our conversation. To hear the whole thing, join the Clubhouse at offthegrid.fun/clubhouse When you do, you'll...
Dec 15, 2025•20 min
This week, we end season seven of Off the Grid with an honest conversation about self-employment amidst polycrisis. I’m joined by the inimitable Shivani Mehta Bhatia — who returns to the show to help us weave our experiences of grief, witnessing, conflict, rest, deep sorrow, and profound joy. It’s been a long year, and we quite literally laugh and cry as we reflect on how 2025 has clarified our commitments — including how we’ve (imperfectly) kept working through it all. Tune in, then if you want...
Dec 03, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 7Ep. 132
Fifteen minutes to center us in radical generosity + energetic sovereignty before the biggest shopping + selling days of the year. Tune in for a tiny pep talk, and to hear more about the Off the Grid Small Biz Gift Guide ! & If you want to shop Off the Grid deals through the weekend: 📖 Your Attention is Sacred ebooks are $10 + paperbacks are $20! 🎙️ Your Podcast is a Portal is only $99! Wishing you the coziest weekend. xoxo, Amelia ⛰️ Ditch your wifi connection for a nature connection and ...
Nov 28, 2025•16 min
Today we visit the Off the Grid archives and Podge Thomas returns for a reflective conversation about why being self-employed invites (and requires) decolonizing how we learn, how we communicate, how we operate, and how we relate to others. Podge has recently created a FREE email course on Metacognitive Learning Design . I want you to get the course, check out her Decolonized Learning Glossary , and then tune in to the episode. Together we explore: The coercive effects of traditional education ⛓...
Nov 26, 2025•52 min•Season 7Ep. 131
If you’re tired of being tired, this episode is for you. Today I’m joined by Jordan Maney , the Radical Joy Coach™ and creator of the RestLab. Through her facilitation and coaching, she helps people who give a damn (including you, dear listener!) learn the radical practice of rest. In this conversation, we get into: Why we can’t talk about rest without talking about work The self-fulfilling prophesy of “invisible labor” How to rest when you really love what you do Why creative work requires crea...
Nov 19, 2025•56 min•Season 7Ep. 130
