“CFOs are essential to business, as they support the CEO with strategic financial planning so the CEO can create the most profitable business possible.” — Melissa Houston Happy New Year! In this solo episode of the Business Society Podcast, I want to talk about a new business trend that I think is especially useful for small to medium-sized business owners. Have you heard of the “fractional C-suite”? Hiring for a fractional C-suite position allows you to benefit from the knowledge and experience...
Jan 10, 2022•17 min•Ep. 83
“Behind every powerful leader is a great therapist. And it doesn’t have to be a true therapist — maybe it’s a coach, maybe it’s a mentor. But every great leader has processed their trauma.” — Margy Feldhuhn This episode of the Business Society Podcast focuses on the emotional side of entrepreneurship. Margy Feldhuhn is co-owner and CEO of Interview Connections, the first podcast booking agency. Since acquiring 50% equity in 2018, she’s helped scale the business to 7 figures — without direct mark...
Jan 03, 2022•25 min•Ep. 82
“It’s through reflection that we take away lessons and we can make improvements.” — Melissa Houston We made it. We’ve reached the end of 2021. And what a year it has been! This is the perfect time to look back and reflect on how far you’ve come, the decisions that you’ve made in your business, and the impact that you have created. It’s also the perfect time to start thinking about your financial goals for the next year. A goal without a plan is just a wish, so if you want to make big moves in th...
Dec 27, 2021•26 min•Ep. 81
Nikki Takahashi knows what goes into creating a great brand! Nikki is the founder and CEO of Fetching Finn, a multi-6-figure branding and design agency that gets clients noticed in person, online, and in print. (She’s also the only designer I know who has won a Governor General’s medal for her achievements!) If you want to connect with your customers, you need to go beyond the graphics. “A logo and a website is kind of where people start when they’re thinking about branding. But when it comes do...
Dec 20, 2021•22 min•Ep. 80
Alli Webb is not only a brilliant entrepreneur with multiple businesses under her belt, she’s also a queen of reinvention. In 2008, Alli co-founded Drybar, the budget-friendly blow-out salon that’s grown to 150+ locations. Since selling Drybar, she’s co-launched Squeeze, a franchise concept offering a better massage experience... Okay Humans, an affordable membership that helps clients find and book in with qualified therapists in their area… ...and Becket & Quill, a jewelry line that’s high...
Dec 13, 2021•27 min•Ep. 79
“Passive income has to be one of the most delightful ways to make money.” — Melissa Houston Passive income. The holy grail. The type of revenue that everyone dreams about, right? I’ve got to tell you, I have some strong opinions about it! Passive income happens when you invest your money somewhere and your money starts working for you. This can mean investments in financial products or royalties… but it can also mean certain business ventures (some more promising than others!). Course creation i...
Dec 06, 2021•27 min•Ep. 78
“There has never been — nor will there ever be — anyone else who is you , who has your unique combination of skills and talents and experiences and passion.” —Courtney Foster-Donahue What makes you unique in your marketplace? And how can you leverage that uniqueness to grow your business in the digital space? Courtney Foster-Donahue helps entrepreneurs and business owners boost their revenue, expand their offers, and scale beyond 1:1 through digital marketing and course creation! While Courtney’...
Nov 29, 2021•27 min•Ep. 77
“PR, to me, is all about relationships and making connections.” —Amanda Berlin Do you ever look at keynote speakers or interviewees on high-profile websites and think to yourself, “That could be me”? We’ve all had those moments, but often we don’t pursue those opportunities because we don’t feel confident enough in our message — or just aren’t sure how to bring that particular dream to reality! That’s where Amanda Berlin comes in! Amanda is a PR, marketing, and business strategist who helps her ...
Nov 22, 2021•30 min•Ep. 76
“Before you can grow your business, you have to grow your mindset. You have to be actively working on your issues that are keeping you in a place of ‘stuck.’” —Elaine Turso Elaine Turso is an intuitive business consultant, creative entrepreneur, and Chief Visionary Partner for INsource It Marketing Agency. Elaine helps her clients get their businesses up and running through helping with their ideas, tech, workflows, and mindset. Through experience, she’s learned that the mindset work is especial...
Nov 15, 2021•29 min•Ep. 75
“If I could spend my career taking that stress out of money, giving people peace of mind, if I could change a few lives... it would be worth it.” —Shari Greco Reiches If you’re a regular listener, you know that I believe money management is one of the most vital skills that anyone can learn... whether or not they run a business! My guest, wealth management expert Shari Greco Reiches, agrees completely. Shari helps her clients align their financial planning with their core values, allowing them t...
Nov 08, 2021•26 min•Ep. 74
“Find someone whose message you resonate with that teaches sales.” —Ryann Dowdy Every entrepreneur has to dip their toes into sales at some point. But how do you learn how to effectively sell? And, better yet, how do you learn how to sell without feeling icky or intimidated? I’ll admit, these are questions that I struggled with when first launching my business (and sometimes even today)! My guest, Ryann Dowdy, has trained not hundreds, but thousands of people in the art of sales! Ryann is an exp...
Nov 01, 2021•29 min•Ep. 73
“Having all this money made me fearful of losing it.” —Julie Greenham Business and mindfulness coach Julie Greenham made a name for herself as an advocate for introverted entrepreneurs. But even as she empowered her clients to be comfortably visible, book their ideal clients, and make more money, the successful host of the Quiet Powerhouse Podcast struggled with the knowledge that she wasn’t quite sure how to manage her own finances. After separating from her husband, she stepped onto the road t...
Oct 25, 2021•31 min•Ep. 72
“I really had to work my way back up, but I was never, ever willing to compromise.” —Candace Cameron Bure While you may know the name Candace Cameron from seeing her on The View or Full House (or through catching up on her new Netflix show Fuller House), you really need to know about her other work! An accomplished entrepreneur and philanthropist, Candance has a west-coast-inspired fashion line on QVC, boasting inclusive sizing ranging from 3XS to 5XL. She also serves as a board member for the n...
Oct 18, 2021•22 min•Ep. 71
“A lot of times, anxiety is very, very helpful... but you want to take action on that.” —Gretchen Rubin How do you successfully create the types of habits that bring positive change to your life? How do you get a better night’s sleep when you’re feeling stressed or anxious? How do you know when your self-soothing habits are actually healthy for you? In this episode, these questions and many more will be answered by the world’s foremost expert on happiness! My guest is Gretchen Rubin, the New Yor...
Oct 11, 2021•26 min•Ep. 70
“Smart business owners take the time to get the feedback.” — Melissa Houston If your fiscal year begins in January, then you’ve just exited your third quarter. In this episode, you’ll learn what your quarterly numbers can tell you... and how you can use them to gain insight into — and ultimately improve — your business! While I definitely believe that business owners should look at their numbers every single month, your quarterly numbers are an excellent signal of the health of your business. Th...
Oct 04, 2021•19 min•Ep. 69
“My goal was always to build a business that let me have a lifestyle…. And now, I can do that, but I have a team that keeps the business running.” — Rebecca Tracey If you’ve ever wondered whether it makes sense to create your own online course, struggled with the idea of niching down, or been confused about how to grow sustainably, you’re going to want to listen to this episode! The Uncaged Life founder Rebecca Tracey helps coaches and business owners find and keep clients, own their niche, and ...
Sep 27, 2021•27 min•Ep. 68
“Investment fees, for most Canadians, really cause great damage to their ultimate retirement savings.” — Larry Bates Larry Bates is a name that my clients and long-time listeners know well — I recommend his book to them regularly! Larry is an independent investor advocate, former investment banker, and author of Beat the Bank: The Canadian Guide to Simply Successful Investing. So, it’s safe to say that Larry knows a thing or two about how the investment industry works — and how to minimize your ...
Sep 20, 2021•29 min•Ep. 67
“Keep learning, keep failing, keep investing in yourself, keep trying, and just be patient.” — Kelly Roach I am so excited to have the opportunity to speak to the Ultimate Millionaire Maker and Unstoppable Entrepreneur herself, business strategist Kelly Roach! Kelly is the creator of the six-figure-earning Live Launch Method, founder of The Unstoppable Entrepreneur business incubator, host of The Unstoppable Entrepreneur podcast, and a best-selling author. “For some of us, it’s five years. For s...
Sep 13, 2021•28 min•Ep. 66
“It’s true that money cannot buy happiness. But money can buy a lot of opportunities that you might otherwise not have.” — Melissa Houston Happy September! This month has always felt like a fresh start to me — and I think it’s a great time to implement a more financially literate approach to running your business, setting you up for even more success. In this solo episode, I dive into the differences between saving money and building wealth revealing some proven strategies to help you get rich (...
Sep 06, 2021•24 min•Ep. 65
“Self-perception is everything. Even if you’re just staring at your own reflection in Zoom, the way that you perceive yourself helps your productivity.” — Lauren Messiah They say that clothes make the man, but do they also make the entrepreneur? Your style and how you present yourself are definitely a part of your personal brand, and your customers and would-be customers definitely take notice. So, how do you dress for the success that you dream about? Celebrity stylist Lauren Messiah helps her ...
Aug 30, 2021•28 min•Ep. 64
“How can we personalize health so that we can have more longevity and energy?” — Tanessa Shears As an entrepreneur, can you reprogram your body and brain to do more during your workday — while maintaining your physical and mental wellness? As it turns out, the answer is YES! As a health consultant and host of the Becoming Limitless podcast, Tanessa Shears uses science and bio-hacking to help entrepreneurs take control of their health while they chase their dreams, achieve their goals, and scale ...
Aug 23, 2021•29 min•Ep. 63
“Relationship first, rapport always — everything I teach is built on this foundation.” — The Sales Maven Want to learn how to build rapport and be more strategic in your sales conversations? Then this is an episode you won’t want to miss! Known as The Sales Maven, sales coach Nikki Rausch is dedicated to transforming the misunderstood process of selling. Over her 25-year career, she’s perfected her no-sleaze approach, winning numerous awards and selling to many prestigious organizations (includi...
Aug 16, 2021•30 min•Ep. 62
“We started it in the farmer’s market in 2012… we’re in about 45,000 stores now in the US.” — Daina Trout Daina Trout turned a mission to promote gut health into a source of big wealth! The wellness entrepreneur is a co-founder of Health-Ade, a business she started in 2012 with her husband and best friend. Originally just a tiny booth in a farmer’s market, Health-Ade is now a thriving online business that sells bubbly probiotic kombucha teas designed to unlock the power of your gut. It’s about m...
Aug 09, 2021•28 min•Ep. 61
“I had to really convince myself to take a chance and do something different.” — Alison Sweeney Alison Sweeney is not only a television celebrity. She’s also a multi-passionate entrepreneur who has woven her talent for storytelling into a number of different ventures! Alison began acting when she was just four years old, joining the cast of the soap opera Days of Our Lives when she was only 16, a role for which she won multiple awards (including an Emmy). She also served as a host for The Bigges...
Aug 02, 2021•24 min•Ep. 60
“If you think the thought ‘Everything’s been done,’ then there would be no new innovation, no inventions.” — Nicole de Larzac I’ve always said that product-based businesses face extraordinary challenges — but when you have the right coach, building your product-based business can be a lot less stressful! Nicole de Larzac is that coach. Nicole’s mission is to make it easier for entrepreneurs (especially women) to launch and scale their product-based businesses, guiding them from idea to launch th...
Jul 29, 2021•27 min•Ep. 59
“I help entrepreneurs with the emotional side of business.” — Amber Hawley Did you know that around 40% of entrepreneurs have ADHD? Amber Hawley is a licenced psychotherapist who helps entrepreneurs deal with burnout, overwhelm, perfectionism, and other mindset issues that get in the way of business success. She’s also an entrepreneur with ADHD, which she considers both a blessing and a curse. ADHD has traditionally carried a stigma, but it has become increasingly normalized in recent years. Whi...
Jul 26, 2021•34 min•Ep. 58
No two financial plans are alike, and you won’t get anywhere good by comparing your plan to those of your friends, family, or neighbours. Your plan should be designed to fit your specific financial goals, needs, and circumstances — no one else’s. Certified financial planner Kurt Mueller helps business owners and entrepreneurs make the complex simple, guiding them through the overwhelm of business tax and accounting. He advises his clients to stay aware of their financial situation, including maj...
Jul 21, 2021•28 min•Ep. 57
“Never give your financial power away.” — Melissa Houston The discouraging statistic is that 87% of businesses fail due to financial mismanagement — and probably 99% of them fail because the business ran out of cash. Because cash is the engine that keeps every single business running. It isn’t enough to have high revenues... or even high profits. If you’re not managing your cash properly, regularly monitoring your expenses, and recognizing and plugging money leaks in your business, then you have...
Jul 19, 2021•19 min•Ep. 56
“If you want to monetize [a blog], digital products are kind of where it’s at these days… the key is finding a niche category.” — Whitney English What if you could crack the code of getting your child to LOVE vegetables? Dieticians Whitney English and Alex Caspero have. Whitney and Alex are the founders of Plant-Based Juniors (AKA PBJ), an online community for parents looking for evidence-based resources and advice for adopting safe, healthy, plant-based diets for their kids and during pregnancy...
Jul 15, 2021•30 min•Ep. 55
“Paint the big vision. Don’t be afraid to go bold in what you’re selling.” — Lee Mayer Everyone wants to have a beautiful home. But how many of us have the expertise (or money) to decorate like the pros? Lee Mayer was an insurance executive with no design background when she moved from a tiny apartment in New York City to a multi-bedroom house in Denver. With no idea how to furnish it, she looked into interior design services and was shocked at the pricing. Lee wanted to provide accessible, affo...
Jul 12, 2021•25 min•Ep. 54
