Business With Chronic Illness: Women Entrepreneurs Navigating Burnout & Autoimmune Conditions

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Subscribe HERE to Chronically Profitable, A free, exclusive email series that shows you how to sell with self-trust, create content that converts, and use long-form strategies, especially podcasting, to attract dream clients consistently, even during the ups and downs of business and life. You'll learn how to build a rhythm that helps you sell even while you rest.

How Women Entrepreneurs Can Hold Grief and Growth at the Same Time | Amanda Guin

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0500

Not everyone started this year with "new year, new you" energy. If you're a woman entrepreneur navigating grief—from a loss, a diagnosis, a relationship, or a version of yourself you had to let go—you're probably wondering: can I grieve this AND still show up for my business? Can I hold both grief and growth while building a sustainable business?

In this replay of one of 2025's most downloaded episodes, I sit down with Amanda Guin, an emotional intelligence coach, traumatology expert, and widow who lost her infant daughter to a congenital heart condition, navigated endometriosis and infertility, and became a solo parent after her husband's suicide. We talk about why "coping" keeps women entrepreneurs stuck, what it means to explore healing instead, and how to hold the duality of grief and growth while creating a business that adapts to your capacity.

Inside this episode, you'll learn:

Why coping feels stagnant and what exploring your emotions looks like instead
How to hold duality: grieving AND showing up, struggling AND growing, loss AND joy
Amanda's APPLI framework for acknowledging where you are and choosing your next step
The difference between "big T" and "little T" trauma and why your body doesn't rank your pain
How to build a sustainable business rooted in empathy and emotional awareness while processing grief
Why there's no blueprint for grief—just your own process of healing to trust

This episode is for you if you're:

A woman entrepreneur is currently grieving while trying to run your business. You're feeling stuck in "coping mode" instead of actually healing and moving forward. You find yourself ranking your trauma or grief and not giving yourself permission to feel it fully. Or you're navigating loss, burnout, or a major life transition while managing chronic illness.

Connect with Amanda Guin: At growwithpurposecoach.com

Follow Business With Chronic Illness for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, burnout recovery, and building a business with autoimmune conditions and chronic illness.

Leave us a Review and share this episode with a friend.

Share Your QA's or Thoughts

Join our Community Channel on Substack, our Built to Breathe Community

Adapting Business Strategies for Chronic Health Challenges- What's new in 2026

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0500

This year, expect empowering conversations with business owners navigating chronic illness and autoimmune disorders. Learn from their experiences, strategies, and lessons, with a focus on sustainability and health. Episodes will feature guests discussing new diagnoses, caregiving, and adapting business practices. Join the community on Substack for exclusive content and stay connected. Tune in for inspiration, support, and practical advice on building a profitable business while prioritizing your health.

Takeaways:

Navigating chronic illness while building a business requires a unique approach that respects your body's needs.
This podcast emphasizes the importance of sharing real experiences of entrepreneurs with chronic illnesses.
Listeners can expect more diverse voices discussing the realities of business and caregiving in upcoming episodes.
Our conversations aim to empower those managing their health while creating successful businesses without burnout.
We're committed to fostering a community where chronic illness and entrepreneurship intersect positively.
The upcoming season will explore new diagnoses faced by entrepreneurs and how they adapt their business strategies.

Leave us a Review and share this episode with a friend.

Share Your QA's or Thoughts

→ Grab Your Free 5-Day Private Podcast Series to Help You Make Sales with Ease with Long-Form Content and Nervous-System-Friendly Marketing Strategies for Women with Chronic Illness & Burnt-Out Entrepreneurs.

Join our Community Channel on Substack, our Built to Breathe Community

3 Types Of Capacity And How They Effect Your Business Living with Chronic Illness

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0500

The journey of entrepreneurship can often feel at odds with the realities of living with chronic illness, particularly when it comes to the concept of capacity. In this episode, we tackle the often-misunderstood idea of capacity, shifting the narrative from a relentless push for more to a compassionate understanding of what we can realistically manage. Capacity isn't just about productivity; it's about how much our bodies and minds can handle at any given moment, especially when faced with the unpredictable nature of chronic health issues. We explore the three primary forms of capacity that influence our entrepreneurial experience: emotional, cognitive, and energetic. Emotional capacity is crucial for handling the stress of marketing and visibility, particularly for those of us who may struggle with the expectations of always being “on.” Cognitive capacity reflects our ability to think and make decisions, which can be severely impacted by the demands of content creation and the fast-paced nature of social media. Lastly, energetic capacity speaks to the physical and sensory energy we can muster, which is often the most variable due to chronic health conditions. This episode emphasizes the importance of creating business systems that align with our current capacity rather than pushing us to meet unrealistic expectations. By focusing on long-form content, such as podcasting, we can share our stories and connect with our audience without the stress of constant output. The key takeaway is that our capacity is not the enemy; instead, it’s our perceptions and business practices that need to adapt to honor our humanity. This understanding fosters a more sustainable approach to entrepreneurship, allowing us to thrive not despite our chronic illnesses but alongside them.

Takeaways:

Understanding capacity in business is not about doing more, but about what your nervous system can handle.
Marketing strategies need to reflect the reality of fluctuating capacities, especially for those with chronic illnesses.
Creating a business model that honors your humanity can lead to sustainable success without burnout.
Podcasting serves as a capacity-aware marketing tool, reducing stress while allowing for authentic connection.

✨ Thank you for listening.

Here's how to connect with Nikita, your host:

→ Book A Sales Call Here

→ Grab your Free Curated Podcast for Business Growth Playlist

→ Grab the Podcast Planner + App to start and grow your podcast with ease.

⭐ Loved this episode? Leave a review and share it with a friend who’s ready to grow their business without burnout or sacrificing their well-being.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

Why Most Businesses Break When You Need a Break (And How to Build One That Doesn’t)

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0500

What if your business didn’t fall apart every time your life asked you to slow down?

In this episode of Business with Chronic Illness, we’re naming a hard truth many entrepreneurs live with quietly: most businesses are built to work only on your best days.

When you rest, everything stops.

When life gets real, momentum disappears.

And you’re left feeling like you’re starting over again.

That’s not a you problem.

It’s a systems problem.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Why most businesses are actually self-powered machines

• How hustle culture normalized over-functioning

• Why consistency always requires capacity (and capacity isn’t constant)

• The nervous system cost of tying income to daily output

• Why businesses collapse during hard seasons

• What it means to build a business that supports you

• How long-form content (like podcasting) creates stability during low-capacity seasons

• Why evergreen content keeps working even when you’re offline

✨ Thank you for listening.

Here's how to connect with Nikita, your host:

→ Book A Sales Call Here

→ Grab your Free Curated Podcast for Business Growth Playlist

→ Grab the Podcast Planner + App to start and grow your podcast with ease.

→ Grab Your Free 5-Day Private Podcast Series to Help You Make Sales with Ease with Long-Form Content and Nervous-System-Friendly Marketing Strategies for Women with Chronic Illness & Burnt-Out Entrepreneurs.

⭐ Loved this episode? Leave a review and share it with a friend who’s ready to grow their business without burnout or sacrificing their well-being.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

Why Your Marketing Collapses When Your Capacity Changes And How To Fix It

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0500

Does your marketing disappear every time you take a break? You're not alone, and it's not a consistency problem. It's a systems problem disguised as a marketing problem.

In this solo episode of Business with Chronic Illness, I'm sharing why so many women entrepreneurs with chronic illness, burnout, or unpredictable capacity feel like they're constantly restarting their marketing from scratch. The truth? You don't have a marketing strategy; you have a performance schedule. And when you stop performing, your business stops breathing.

In this episode, you'll discover:

Why your marketing feels fragile (and it's not because you're inconsistent)
The hidden cost of marketing that depends on you having good days all the time
How long-form content creates business stability even when your life doesn't feel stable
What happens when you anchor your business in a sustainable system instead of daily posts
Three ways to build a marketing system that works when your capacity shifts

If you're tired of feeling like you're rebuilding your marketing every three months, or you're scared to rest because your visibility will disappear, this episode will show you a different way. A way where your voice does the heavy lifting even when your body cannot.

This episode is for you if:

You disappear when you don't feel well and feel like you're starting over every time you come back.
You want steady clients but can't keep up with posting or launching the way everyone says you should.
You're scared to market because you don't know if you can handle leads on a flare week.
You know you need to be consistent, but your energy just isn't predictable.
You feel like you're working all the time but not seeing sustainable results.

✨ Thank you for listening.

Here's how to connect with Nikita, your host:

→ Book A Sales Call Here

→ Grab your Free Curated Podcast for Business Growth Playlist

→ Grab the Podcast Planner + App to start and grow your podcast with ease.

⭐ Loved this episode? Leave a review and share it with a friend who’s ready to grow their business without burnout or sacrificing their well-being.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

Late Bloomers in Business: Eldest Daughters, Chronic Illness, and the Four Skills That Protect Your Capacity | Nikkei Lamodi

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0500

In this replay episode, I’m sitting down with certified coach and first-gen eldest daughter Nikkei Lamodi, to talk about what it really looks like to be an eldest daughter or late bloomer living with chronic illness and running a business.

We get into the invisible pressure of being the “strong one,” why eldest daughters are so prone to people-pleasing, perfectionism, and over-responsibility, and how all of that bleeds into your business, your boundaries, and your body.

Nikkei shares her story of caregiving, grief, chronic illness diagnosis, and the moment she realized she was sacrificing her time, money, and desires for everyone else. From there, she walks us through her four “eldest daughter skills” that help you protect your capacity instead of burning it out:

Direct communication with grace
Boundary care (boundaries that are for you, not rules for other people)
Talking to yourself like a best friend
Asking “What else is true? What else is possible?”

If you’re an eldest daughter or late bloomer navigating chronic illness, family expectations, and the pressure to hold everyone together while growing a business… this conversation will make you feel so seen.

🎧 Want to learn more about today’s guest?

Visit CraftedToThrive.com for guest details, key takeaways, and extra links mentioned in this episode.

🌿 If you’re navigating entrepreneurship and chronic illness, or simply craving a more sustainable way to grow your business without sacrificing your health, energy, or self-care priorities, explore Chronically You & Profitable (CYAP).

CYAP is my voice-first business system designed for women entrepreneurs, creatives, and women with chronic illness who want sustainable growth and burnout support while keeping life and wellness first.

It helps you use your voice and story to build a business with systems and strategies that run smoothly, so your work supports your life, not the other way around.

⭐ Enjoyed this conversation? Leave a review and share it with another CEO woman or creative entrepreneur growing a health-first, sustainable business.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

Planning 2026? Here’s Why Your ‘Small’ Audience Is More Powerful Than You Think

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0500

If you’ve been looking at your audience lately — your email list, your downloads, your Instagram following — and thinking, “It’s just not big enough,” this episode is your gentle reset.

Today, I’m sharing an archived audio I originally recorded for my private client podcast. It’s a quiet reminder that the size of your audience has never been the thing that determines your success… the root system of your business does.

Inside, I share a story about repotting one of my new plants (yes, your girl is officially a plant mama 🌿) and what it taught me about sustainable business growth, especially for creative CEOs living with chronic illness or navigating burnout.

Whether you’re planning for 2026, feeling behind on your goals, or questioning whether your tiny audience can actually support a profitable, ease-filled business — this episode will remind you that small can be mighty, and depth can be more powerful than size.

Because sustainable businesses don’t grow by getting louder… they grow by getting rooted.

In this episode, we explore:

Why your audience is not too small to support real growth
How tiny, intentional communities create long-term sustainability
The plant metaphor that changed how I look at business development
What really matters more than list size or follower count
How to build a business that feels nurturing, easeful, and profitable (even in low-capacity seasons)
Why creative women and entrepreneurs with chronic illness thrive in depth-first business models

Key Takeaways

A tiny audience can lead to powerful, sustainable results when you focus on connection over volume.
Growth that ignores your health, your energy, and your capacity isn’t actually growth — it’s burnout.
Your 2026 plan doesn’t have to be bigger; it has to be deeper.
Small but mighty businesses create the strongest root systems — the ones that quietly grow, flourish, and stay profitable long-term.

Who This Episode Is For

Creative CEOs craving sustainable business strategies
Entrepreneurs with chronic illness who want growth without sacrificing their health
Women navigating burnout who want to rebuild without pressure
Anyone who feels behind on their 2025 goals and wants a calmer way to approach 2026

✨ Thank you for listening. Your Next Step:

→ Grab the Podcast Planner to start and grow your podcast with ease.

→ Or, learn my Voice-First System — Chronically You & Profitable (CYAP): the signature method featured and practiced on Business With Chronic Illness Podcast: CEO Women for Sustainable Growth and Burnout Support.

This system is designed for a woman entrepreneur, creative, a chronic boss, or a woman with an autoimmune illness who want simple business growth, sustainable sales, and burnout support, without sacrificing their health, energy, or self-care priorities.

💛 Inside CYAP, You’ll Learn How To:

Manage your health and business with confidence.
Grow a health-first business that supports your wellness, creativity, and income.
Create sustainable systems that let your business serve your life, not take away from it.

⭐ Loved this episode? Leave a review and share it with a friend who’s ready to grow their business without burnout or sacrificing their well-being.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

How to Start a Creative Business Imperfectly and Evolve Without Burnout | Margo Tantau

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0500

Tired of waiting for the perfect moment to start your creative business? Struggling with burnout from trying to follow cookie-cutter business advice that doesn't fit your life?

In this episode, I talk with Margo Tantau: creative director, licensing agent, and host of Windowsill Chats Podcast, about building a sustainable creative business by following your gut instead of formulas. Margo shares her non-linear path from corporate to running her own licensing agency, and why starting imperfectly is actually the key to long-term success.

We talk about why perfectionism keeps women entrepreneurs stuck, how to create a business that adapts to your capacity (not the other way around), and why vulnerability and connection beat marketing funnels every time. If you've been holding back because you're afraid of starting over or don't have it all figured out, this conversation gives you permission to begin—and evolve without burnout.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

Why you're stuck waiting for "perfect" to start your creative business – and how to give yourself permission to begin imperfectly and evolve as you learn.
How to recognize when you're actually evolving, not starting over – Your past work, pivots, and changes aren't wasted—they're building blocks for what comes next.
Why your gut knows more than cookie-cutter formulas – How to trust your instincts to build a sustainable creative business that fits your life, not someone else's blueprint.
What burnout is really telling you about your business approach – and how to create a capacity-first business that adapts to your energy and circumstances instead of draining them.
How to reframe "I'm starting all over again" into "I'm recalibrating" – A simple mindset shift that helps you move forward without the weight of feeling behind.
Where your creativity already shows up – even if you don't think you're "creative enough" to start a business.
How to build connections and relationships instead of relying on perfect marketing – Why vulnerability and authenticity create sustainable growth for women entrepreneurs without burnout.

🎧 Want to learn more about today’s guest?

Visit CraftedToThrive.com for guest details, key takeaways, and extra links mentioned in this episode.

It helps you use your voice and story to build a business with systems and strategies that run smoothly, so your work supports your life, not the other way around.

⭐ Enjoyed this conversation? Leave a review and share it with another CEO woman or creative entrepreneur growing a health-first, sustainable business.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

The Silent Stress That's Sabotaging Your Business (Even When Life Looks Fine) | Jen Yundt Coles

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 01:15:00 -0500

I feel like I'm doing everything right. I meditate. I have boundaries. My life is actually pretty good. So why do I still feel burnt out? Why can't I keep up with my business the way I want to? Why does it feel like something's still off?

If that sounds like you, this episode is going to connect some dots you didn't even know needed connecting.

Jen Yundt Coles is a functional medicine health coach, SIBO specialist, and someone who literally had a heart attack from stress she didn't even realize was stress. In this conversation, we talk about the hidden stressors that are quietly sabotaging your business with chronic illness—and what to do about it.

We talk about:

Why your gut health is directly messing with your business decisions, your creativity, and your energy
The types of stress you're not even counting (and how they're stacking up in your body)
What happens when you keep pushing through until your body literally forces you to stop

This episode is for you if:

You disappear when you don't feel well and then feel like you're starting all over again every time you come back
You can't keep up with the pace everyone says you should be moving at
You know you need better systems but strategy alone isn't fixing what's actually wrong

Listen for:

Why your body might be in fight-or-flight mode even when your life looks fine on paper
The question Jen asks herself every single morning that changed how she runs her sustainable business
How to actually run a business with chronic illness without feeling like you're always proving yourself

The truth: You're not broken. You're not lazy. Your body is trying to tell you something—and when you finally listen, building your business gets so much easier.

🎧 Want to learn more about today’s guest?

Visit CraftedToThrive.com for guest details, key takeaways, and extra links mentioned in this episode.

It helps you use your voice and story to build a business with systems and strategies that run smoothly, so your work supports your life, not the other way around.

⭐ Enjoyed this conversation? Leave a review and share it with another CEO woman or creative entrepreneur growing a health-first, sustainable business.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

How to Grow a Business When Your Health Changes (Living with Type 1.5 Diabetes) | Jemi Crookes

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0500

What do you do when your health changes and the business you've built can't keep up?

In this episode of Business with Chronic Illness, I sit down with Jemi Crookes, founder of The Think Lab, to talk about what happens when a diagnosis forces you to redefine leadership, business, and success itself.

After a misdiagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, Jemi discovered she was actually living with Type 1.5 (LADA)—a rare form of autoimmune diabetes that upended everything she knew about her body, her energy, and the way she worked. She left her corporate executive role and rebuilt her business from the ground up, using AI, authentic leadership positioning, and personal branding to create more freedom and less burnout.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

✅ How Jemi turned a life-changing diagnosis into a business that supports her health

✅ The difference between corporate leadership and capacity-honoring leadership

✅ Why "your job title is rented, but your leadership is forever"

✅ How to use AI as a tool (not a replacement) for your positioning and time

✅ What it really takes to build a brand rooted in your values and lived experience

✅ The mindset shifts that allow you to keep growing—even when your energy fluctuates

✅ Why you can't position yourself (even if you're a strategist) and who can help

✅ How advocating for your health teaches you to advocate in business

You'll hear how Jemi learned to trust her intuition when doctors got it wrong, design business models that flex with her energy, and help other women leaders build brands that can thrive, no matter what life brings next.

A gift from Jemi, our guest - Custom GPT tool: SO FUN!!!! https://chatgpt.com/g/g-67d37e2edbf48191b062e108c6bb1994-tf-leadership-intro-ida

🎧 Want to learn more about today’s guest?

Visit CraftedToThrive.com for guest details, key takeaways, and extra links mentioned in this episode.

It helps you use your voice and story to build a business with systems and strategies that run smoothly, so your work supports your life, not the other way around.

⭐ Enjoyed this conversation? Leave a review and share it with another CEO woman or creative entrepreneur growing a health-first, sustainable business.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

How to Build Community and a Business When You're Far From Home | Dr. Analia Gomez Vidal

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0500

Ever had one of those moments where you're building your business and you get a text from family, someone's sick, someone needs you, and you instantly think: "I should be there. What kind of person am I for not dropping everything?"

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Analía Gómez Vidal career coach who built her business while being thousands of miles away from her family in Argentina. We get honest about what to do when family needs you and your business needs you at the same time.

Analia shares how she navigated family health emergencies from another continent, rebuilt community from scratch, and why you don't need everything figured out to move forward.

What You'll Learn:

✨ How to make decisions when family needs you and your business needs you at the same time

✨ The two-layer approach to building community from scratch (local connections + people who understand your journey)

✨ Why "having it all figured out" is keeping you stuck—and what to do instead

✨ The honest conversation about privilege: the financial preparation and resources that make big transitions possible

✨ How to stop feeling like you're betraying your family by choosing your business🎧

Stay in touch with Dr. Analía and receive her career coaching prompts, resources, and updates by signing up to her newsletter here.

My free Multi-Year Planner is a tool I developed and use for my own business. It helps you organize your short, medium, and long-term goals in one snapshot and track your work as you make progress. It is a versatile tool that helps you whether you are building a business, job searching, or working on a long-term project with multiple milestones.

Want to learn more about today’s guest?

Visit CraftedToThrive.com for guest details, key takeaways, and extra links mentioned in this episode.

It helps you use your voice and story to build a business with systems and strategies that run smoothly, so your work supports your life, not the other way around.

⭐ Enjoyed this conversation? Leave a review and share it with another CEO woman or creative entrepreneur growing a health-first, sustainable business.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

Why Food Shame Is Keeping You Burned Out in Business | Jessica Setnick

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0500

About this Episode:

In this episode of Business with Chronic Illness, I'm joined by Jessica Setnick, RD, CSSD, LD—a registered dietitian, eating disorder specialist, and founder of a nonprofit making eating disorder care accessible—to talk about the invisible energy drain keeping entrepreneurs burned out: food shame.

Jessica opens up about her own journey of having to go to therapy just to learn how to charge for her services, what she calls the "Mother Teresa trap" that keeps service-based entrepreneurs undervaluing their work. She shares how shame around food, eating, and body image is completely invisible (you can't look at someone and know what they're eating), and why this hidden struggle is stealing the energy women entrepreneurs need to recover from burnout.

We dive into why stress changes your brain chemistry and turns food into mood-altering medication, the critical difference between shame and regret (and why one keeps you stuck while the other moves you forward), and Jessica walks through practical ways to spot shame-based patterns that are draining your business capacity.

By the end of this episode, you'll walk away with:

A framework for recognizing food shame - the specific signs that shame (not just your chronic illness) is keeping you burned out, including eating differently alone versus with people and overthinking every food choice.
Understanding the stress-food-shame cycle - why your body uses food as medication when you're burned out, how this is brain chemistry (not a character flaw), and why weight stigma myths like "eat less, move more" ignore hormones, stress, and chronic illness.
Permission to recover imperfectly - Jessica's reframe that recovery isn't about never having thoughts about food; it's about keeping the struggle at the thought level instead of letting it drive your behavior, plus where to start when you're ready for support (books, resources, and finding eating disorder-informed care).

Jessica's story reminds us that you cannot fix burnout by pushing harder when shame is stealing your energy; sustainable business growth starts with compassionate, practical tools that help you nourish yourself and reclaim the capacity you need to show up.

🎧 Want to learn more about today’s guest?

Visit CraftedToThrive.com for guest details, key takeaways, and extra links mentioned in this episode.

It helps you use your voice and story to build a business with systems and strategies that run smoothly, so your work supports your life, not the other way around.

⭐ Enjoyed this conversation? Leave a review and share it with another CEO woman or creative entrepreneur growing a health-first, sustainable business.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

Links referenced in this episode:

What to Do When You Feel Like You're Doing Too Much in Your Business with Chronic Illness | Andrea Nakayama

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0500

Ever look at everything on your business plate and think "there's no way I can do all of this"?

This episode is for entrepreneurs with chronic illness who feel overwhelmed trying to grow their business while managing fluctuating capacity. CEO of Functional Medicine Nutritionist Andrea Nakayama shares how she built Functional Nutrition Alliance while managing Hashimoto's, grief, and single parenthood—without burning out.

We're diving into business strategies for chronic illness entrepreneurs, including the "base camp method" for sustainable business growth, why persistence beats consistency when your capacity changes, and how to pivot your expectations when chronic illness impacts your business.

What You'll Walk Away With:

✅ The Base Camp Method - A practical framework for breaking down overwhelming business goals into manageable steps when your capacity fluctuates with chronic illness

✅ Persistence vs. Consistency Mindset Shift - Understanding why showing up YOUR way matters more than rigid consistency, and what sustainable growth actually looks like for entrepreneurs managing chronic illness

✅ The Five P's Framework - The exact formula (Passion, Permission, Purpose, Persistence, Perseverance) that kept Andrea going through grief, Hashimoto's, and single parenthood while building a thriving business

✅ How to Recalibrate Your Capacity - Practical ways to pivot your expectations and tune into your nervous system so you know when you're actually doing too much versus just feeling overwhelmed

Resources for Entrepreneurs with Chronic Illness:

The Five P's for Sustainable Business Growth: Passion, Permission, Purpose, Persistence, Perseverance
Base Camp Method: Andrea's approach to business growth with chronic illness without burnout
Functional Nutrition Alliance: Training programs for practitioners managing chronic illness

🎧 Want to learn more about today’s guest?

Visit CraftedToThrive.com for guest details, key takeaways, and extra links mentioned in this episode.

It helps you use your voice and story to build a business with systems and strategies that run smoothly, so your work supports your life, not the other way around.

⭐ Enjoyed this conversation? Leave a review and share it with another CEO woman or creative entrepreneur growing a health-first, sustainable business.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

Setting Health-First Boundaries to Grow a Sustainable Business with Chronic Illness | Brenda Snow

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0500

What if the key to building a sustainable business with chronic illness isn't working harder, but setting better boundaries? In this episode, Brenda Snow, an Amazon Best Selling Author, shares how she built a 420-person company over 30 years while managing MS (Multiple Sclerosis) - without sacrificing her health or burning out.

If you're living with chronic illness and running a business, you know the struggle:

You feel like you need to be extraordinary just to keep up. You're constantly starting over after flare-ups. You can't keep up with the pace everyone else says you should be moving at. And you're terrified that setting boundaries will mean losing clients, revenue, or credibility.

In this episode, you'll discover:

Why you don't need to be extraordinary to succeed in business with chronic illness—and what to do instead
The predictable emotional phases you'll cycle through (grief, anger, acceptance) and how to navigate them without shame
How to set health-first boundaries that protect your energy without losing clients or revenue
The "hire to your weaknesses" strategy that allowed Brenda to scale to 420 employees while managing MS
Why transparency about your health builds trust with your team instead of undermining it
How to give yourself more time than you think you need (and why this is the secret to sustainability)
The power of storytelling as a healing tool and how sharing your chronic illness journey helps you AND your audience

Building a sustainable business with chronic illness doesn't require you to be superhuman. It requires health-first boundaries, strategic delegation, and the permission to work at a pace that honors your body. Brenda's 30-year journey proves that long-term success is possible when you stop trying to keep up and start building a business that works WITH your chronic illness, not against it.

🎧 Want to learn more about today’s guest?

Visit CraftedToThrive.com for guest details, key takeaways, and extra links mentioned in this episode.

It helps you use your voice and story to build a business with systems and strategies that run smoothly, so your work supports your life, not the other way around.

⭐ Enjoyed this conversation? Leave a review and share it with another CEO woman or creative entrepreneur growing a health-first, sustainable business.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

How My Podcast Signed Clients While I Was Healing: Why Downloads Don’t Pay Your Bills (Decisions Do)

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 02:00:00 -0500

Can you really grow your business when you’re living with chronic illness, burnout, or limited capacity? Absolutely, if your content helps people make informed decisions, you don't have to focus on or obsess about downloads.

In this episode of Business with Chronic Illness, with host Nikita Williams. I’m sharing how I signed clients from my podcast while I was healing from endometriosis and recovering from surgery, and how I turned a small but mighty audience into consistent revenue using sustainable business strategies that honor my health first and prevent burnout.

This is part of The Business Safety Net with a Podcast Series, where we explore how long-form content can create sustainable growth, marketing, and sales systems for women entrepreneurs and CEOs managing chronic illness or looking for burnout support.

You’ll hear how I use my CGS Framework: Connect, Give, Serve — to create content that converts, even when I can’t be “on.” Because your business should support your wellness, not sacrifice it.

What You’ll Learn:

Why downloads and likes don’t pay your bills... decisions do
How my podcast brought in four clients in the first 10 episodes without a huge audience
What it means to create decision-driven content instead of algorithm-driven content
How the CGS Framework (Connect → Give → Serve) helps you turn listeners into clients
Why podcasting is a business safety net for burnout support and chronic illness entrepreneurship

Inside The Business Safety Net Series:

This episode is part of The Business Safety Net with a Podcast Series on the Business with Chronic Illness podcast, created for women entrepreneurs with chronic illness, creatives, and CEOs who crave sustainable business strategies, burnout recovery, and health-conscious growth that works even in low-capacity seasons.

Catch up on the series:

1️⃣ Ep 1: The 30-Minute Connection Strategy That Built My Business With Chronic Illness

2️⃣ Ep 2: How My Podcast Signed Clients While I Was Healing (this episode)

3️⃣ Next: How to Take a Break Without Losing Clients or Momentum as a CEO With Chronic Illness

✨ Thank you for listening. Your Next Step:

→ Grab the Podcast Planner + App (coming soon) to start and grow your podcast with ease.

This system is designed for a woman entrepreneur, creative, a chronic boss, or a woman with an autoimmune illness who wants simple business growth, sustainable sales, and burnout support, without sacrificing their health, energy, or self-care priorities.

💛 Inside CYAP, You’ll Learn How To:

Manage your health and business with confidence.
Grow a health-first business that supports your wellness, creativity, and income.
Create sustainable systems that let your business serve your life, not take away from it.

⭐ Loved this episode? Leave a review and share it with a friend who’s ready to grow their business without burnout or sacrificing their well-being.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

How Freelance Writers with Chronic Illness Can Make Full-Time Income on Part-Time Hours

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0500

Think you need to work 60-hour weeks to build a successful freelance business with chronic illness or burnout? Amanda Bourbonais proves otherwise. After a severe chronic Lyme disease crisis forced her to leave corporate life, she built a six-figure copywriting business working just 20-25 hours per week, and she's maintained that rhythm for five years.

In this episode, Amanda shares how she turned rock bottom into a business foundation, why "I started my business so I could take naps" became her guiding principle, and how she prices projects based on deliverables (not hours) to create sustainable income. If you've been told you need to hustle harder or wait until you're "healthy enough" to start your business, this conversation will change how you think about capacity, pricing, and what's actually possible.

What you'll learn:

How to structure a freelance business that generates full-time income on part-time hours (20-25 hours/week) and supports you as you heal
Why pricing by deliverables instead of hours is the key to sustainable growth for freelancing with chronic illness
How to turn your health journey into a business asset and find clients who value your unique perspective

Perfect for: Freelance writers, consultants, and creatives with chronic illness who want to build sustainable businesses without sacrificing their health.

Book A Sales Call to Learn how to work with me 1:1

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To Start and Grow A Creative or Service-Based Business with Chronic Illness, Join Chronically You & Profitable

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The 30-Minute Connection Strategy That Built My Business With Chronic Illness

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 01:30:00 -0500

When I first started my coaching business, I had maybe 30 minutes of energy in a day. And while the online world told me I needed to post multiple times a day, go to endless networking events, and keep up with algorithms, I simply couldn’t.

What I did know? Connection creates sales.

In this episode, I’m sharing the 30-Minute-a-Day Connection Strategy I used to build a six-figure business while living with chronic illness and how it became the foundation of my podcast, the biggest safety net in my business.

You’ll hear:

Why connection matters more than constant content.
How small, intentional actions add up to clients and collaborations.
How podcasting turns those actions into an evergreen safety net that works when you can’t.

✨ Quick Win: At the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with a simple 30-minute challenge you can try this week to create more connection in your business without burning out.

The Podcasting As a Business Safety Net Series

What happens to your business when you can’t show up?

For so many entrepreneurs, especially those navigating chronic illness, burnout, or unpredictable seasons of life, the biggest fear is: what happens to my clients, my income, my visibility, when I don’t have the capacity to be online every day?

That’s why I created The Business Safety Net Series. In this special 4-part series, I’m showing you how to build a business structure that holds you with podcasting as the anchor.

You’ll learn how to:

Use simple strategies that grow your business in just 30 minutes a day.
Turn a small but mighty audience into consistent profits.
Create content that actually converts, not just noise.
Build a flare-proof, burnout-proof marketing and sales system.

Because your business deserves a safety net, one that brings peace, ease, and revenue, even when life gets messy.

Join The 5-Day Audio Series - Rooted Sales.

To Start and Grow A Creative or Service-Based Business with Chronic Illness, Join Chronically You & Profitable

Products We Love + Special Guest Gifts → Want to support the show and treat yourself? We’ve created a quick-access list of products I personally use and love, exclusive savings from podcast guests, and other gems that can help you live well and do business with chronic illness. Explore our faves + savings here!

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How to Spot Business Misalignment Before It Burns You Out | Jason Winters

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0500

In this episode of Business with Chronic Illness, I'm joined by Jason Winters, an energy alignment coach and EFT tapping practitioner, to talk about the warning signs that your business is built out of alignment, especially important for entrepreneurs managing chronic illness and unpredictable energy levels.

Jason opens up about his experience with rapid business growth that felt unsustainable, from lowering his prices out of fear to over-delivering because of self-worth issues. He shares how he recognized these patterns as symptoms of deeper misalignment and the practical steps he took to restructure his business around what actually serves his life and energy.

We dive into why entrepreneurs with chronic illness are particularly vulnerable to business burnout, the difference between fear (which is natural) and doubt (which comes from learned trauma responses), and Jason walks through his truth work method for clearing limiting beliefs that keep you stuck in exhausting cycles.

By the end of this episode, you'll walk away with:

A framework for recognizing misalignment - the specific signs that your business decisions are coming from fear instead of values, and why over-delivering often signals deeper issues.
Practical tools for realignment - Jason's truth work technique for separating thoughts from feelings, plus how to check your decisions against your core values instead of external pressure.
Permission to build differently - understanding why rest builds trust in your business and how to create systems that honor your natural capacity rather than fighting against it.

Jason's story reminds us that sustainable business growth isn't about pushing harder; it's about building from a foundation that actually serves your energy and values from the start.

Leave us a Review and share this episode with a friend.

You'll learn how to build a rhythm that helps you sell even while you rest.

To Start and Grow A Creative or Service-Based Business with Chronic Illness, Join Chronically You & Profitable

Join & Follow Nikita & our Community Channel on Instagram

The 3 Key Problems Holding You Back from Making Sales (and How to Fix It)

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 00:44:00 -0500

Selling doesn’t have to feel hard, especially when you're navigating the challenges of chronic illness or burnout.

In today’s episode, we dive into the three key problems that often keep us from converting leads into sales and how to tackle them with what I call the rooted sales process. We discuss the emotional and physical challenges that can make selling feel pushy or draining, leading to feelings of inadequacy and frustration. You'll learn how to create a sustainable approach to sales that aligns with our unique capacities and circumstances. Join me as I share practical steps to help you shift your sales strategy from survival mode to one that fosters peace and connection, enabling you to thrive in your business, even on your toughest days.

Leave us a Review and share this episode with a friend.

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You'll learn how to build a rhythm that helps you sell even while you rest.

To Start and Grow A Creative or Service-Based Business with Chronic Illness, Join Chronically You & Profitable

Join & Follow Nikita & our Community Channel on Instagram

Navigating the challenges of running a business while managing chronic illness can feel like an uphill battle, often leading to feelings of inadequacy and burnout. We dive deep into the common struggles faced by women entrepreneurs who grapple with fluctuating energy levels and the societal expectations of constant hustle.

Throughout this episode, I share critical insights on the emotional toll of sales and marketing, especially when the traditional narratives push the idea that success is synonymous with relentless effort and discipline. We explore a foundational pre-sales approach, designed to help you sell from a place of calm and stability rather than from anxiety and pressure. This method encourages you to understand your unique circumstances and to create a sales process that honors your health and well-being. By focusing on things from the inside out, you can shift from a fear-based decision-making paradigm to one grounded in peace and clarity, enabling you to attract clients aligned with your values without the overwhelming fear of rejection or failure.

What you'll walk away with:

Why selling feels hard?
How to create calm in your mind and body when marketing.
What does creating a sustainable business involve, by understanding that consistency doesn't mean doing the same thing every day?
How to regain peace and clarity in your business decisions, especially in challenging times.

How to Know When to Slow Down Your Growing Business | Stephanie DiPisa

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 02:00:00 -0500

What happens when your growing business starts demanding more than your body can give?

In this episode of Business with Chronic Illness, I'm joined by Stephanie DiPisa, founder of Solara Suncare, mom of three, and Chronic Lyme advocate, to talk about the hard but necessary truth: sometimes the best thing for your business is doing less, not more.

Stephanie opens up about launching her first business at 40 with no beauty industry experience, building Solara into a successful brand sold everywhere from Target to Neiman Marcus, and how her journey with chronic Lyme disease taught her to recognize when it's time to intentionally slow down. She shares why she had to pause her business completely for a year, how that break actually made her products better, and the warning signs that tell her it's time to "turn down the faucet" on growth.

By the end of this episode, you'll walk away with:

Why forced health breaks can actually strengthen your business and improve your offerings in unexpected ways.
How to recognize when you're slipping into unsustainable patterns before you reach a complete breaking point.
How shifting away from "catching up" fear and toward intentional choices that prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term gains.

Stephanie's story is a reminder that building a successful business with chronic illness isn't about pushing harder; it's about listening to your body's wisdom and creating something that can thrive even when you need to rest.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

Leave us a Review and share this episode with a friend.

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You'll learn how to build a rhythm that helps you sell even while you rest.

To Start and Grow A Creative or Service-Based Business with Chronic Illness, Join Chronically You & Profitable

Join & Follow Nikita & our Community Channel on Instagram

Why Writing Emails Feels Impossible When You're Burned Out (and What to Do Instead)

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 02:00:00 -0500

Ever been told to "just journal it out" and felt completely stuck? You're not broken—you're just trying to force a system that wasn't designed for your brain, body, or energy.

In this episode, I'm sharing why writing feels impossible when you're burned out (spoiler: it's not a mindset problem), the neuroscience behind why speaking works better than writing for many of us, and my Voice-First Content Strategy that's changed everything for me and my clients living with chronic illness.

If you've been struggling to create content, write emails, or get your thoughts out of your head, this episode offers a completely different approach that actually works WITH your capacity instead of against it.

What You'll Learn:

Why burnout makes writing cognitively harder (and it's not your fault)
The science behind verbal vs. written processing
My Voice-First Content Strategy that turns one voice memo into 10+ pieces of content
How speaking builds trust and converts better than writing
Practical steps to start using your voice for content creation today
Why your voice is your most powerful business tool, especially when you're healing

Perfect for: Entrepreneurs, coaches, and creatives dealing with burnout, chronic illness, ADHD, or anyone who's ever felt stuck trying to write content.

Research & Statistics Mentioned

Yamada et al. (2021): Burnout affects the prefrontal cortex, impacting planning, focus, and language organization
Scientific Reports (2017): Third-person self-talk improves emotional regulation
Journal of Positive Psychology (2012): Speaking about experiences boosts mood more than writing
Edison Research: Podcast listeners are 54% more likely to purchase after hearing a brand
Industry Data: 65% podcast completion rate vs. 15-20% email open rate

Leave us a Review and share this episode with a friend.

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You'll learn how to build a rhythm that helps you sell even while you rest.

To Start and Grow A Creative or Service-Based Business with Chronic Illness, Join Chronically You & Profitable

Join & Follow Nikita & our Community Channel on Instagram

When Your Energy Changes Daily But Your Business Still Needs to Run | Ashley Carlson

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0500

What happens when your capacity looks different every single day, but your business still has to keep moving forward?

In this episode of Business with Chronic Illness, I’m joined by Ashley Carlson, an agency owner, mom of two, and chronic illness advocate, to talk about the hard but freeing truth: you can do anything, but you can’t do everything.

Ashley opens up about building and growing her agency while navigating multiple chronic illness diagnoses, monthly IVIG infusions, and the everyday realities of parenting. She shares how she’s redefined productivity, learned to ask for help, and built systems that allow her business to run even when she needs to rest.

By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with:

Practical systems for sustainability – why delegation, accountability, and team support make your business more resilient.
A new way to define success – learning how to honor today’s 100% (even if it looks different from yesterday).
Permission to rest without guilt – shifting out of the perfectionism trap and embracing flexibility in life and business.

Ashley’s story is a reminder that running a business with chronic illness is not about pushing harder—it’s about creating support, sustainability, and joy along the way.

Connect with Ashley:

Website: https://www.elevatevbsolutions.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatevbsolutions/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleymcarlson/

Leave us a Review and share this episode with a friend.

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How Chronic Illness Made Me Better at Sales And Business | Justine Beauregard

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0500

In this powerful conversation, Justine opens up about how living with multiple autoimmune conditions for over 20 years didn't limit her business success—it became her secret weapon. From closing $5K sales calls from hospital beds to building a thriving consultancy, Justine shares why chronic illness taught her the exact skills that make entrepreneurs unstoppable.

What You'll Walk Away With:

The "Never Be Outsold" mindset shift that transforms how you approach sales conversations and protects your core beliefs—especially when others doubt what you're capable of with chronic illness
A practical curiosity framework for turning daily statements into powerful questions that help you advocate for yourself in healthcare, business decisions, and client relationships (plus simple habit-stacking techniques to make this automatic)
The authentic sales approach that leverages your natural empathy and need for deeper connections—why women with chronic illness often outsell traditional "bro marketing" tactics by 5-20%

Connect with Justine:

If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with another entrepreneur who needs to hear that their chronic illness isn't holding them back—it might just be their most significant business advantage.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pallavi-pande-bb5abb1b/

Loved this episode? Leave a review: https://www.craftedtothrive.com/reviews/new/

You'll learn how to build a rhythm that helps you sell even while you rest.

To Start and Grow A Creative or Service-Based Business with Chronic Illness Join Chronically You & Profitable

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Links referenced in this episode:

Redefining Productivity: How Chronic Pain Shaped a More Purposeful Business Path | Pallavi Pande

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0500

In this heartfelt and wisdom-packed conversation, Nikita sits down with entrepreneur and community builder Pallavi Pande, founder of Dtcos and Dtcos Consulting. Pallavi shares how growing up in India, navigating chronic pain, and honoring her cultural values led her to build not one but two purpose-driven businesses while parenting and caregiving in a multi-generational household.

Whether you're living with chronic illness, burnout, or you're just tired of traditional hustle culture, this episode will remind you that rest is not retreat—it’s strategy.

You’ll walk away with:

A new lens on productivity that centers chronic illness, cultural nuance, and real life—without sacrificing impact or purpose.
Tangible ways to honor your body and capacity while still showing up for your business and your people.
Courage to stop performing “strength” and start building with community, creativity, and authenticity at the center.

This episode is for you if you’ve ever asked: “How can I build something meaningful without burning out?”

🪴 Resources, links, and guest goodies are in the show notes below.

Connect with Pallavi:

https://www.instagram.com/dtocsplates/

Loved this episode? Leave a review: https://www.craftedtothrive.com/reviews/new/

Subscribe HERE to Chronically Profitable, A free, exclusive weekly that shows you how to sell with self-trust, create content that converts and lasts, and use long-form strategies (my fav is podcasting) to attract dream clients consistently even during the ups and downs of business and life.

To Start and Grow A Creative or Service-Based Business with Chronic Illness Join Chronically You & Profitable

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From Food Guilt to Business Clarity The Hidden Link Between Cravings & Capacity | Laura Banks

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 01:00:00 -0500

Is food guilt quietly draining your capacity to show up in parts of your life and business?

In this episode, we explore what cravings, restriction, and shame around food might be trying to tell you not just about your body, but about your business.

I’m joined by integrative nutrition health coach Laura Banks, who shares her personal journey from hiding candy wrappers in her classroom to helping women heal their relationship with food in a way that actually increases clarity, consistency, and energy.

Together, we unpack the hidden emotional link between what you eat, how you feel, and how you function as a creative, a business owner, or someone simply trying to hold it all together.

You’ll learn how to:

Overcome being stuck in a cycle of “starting over”.
Stop being burned out by restriction & trying to “get it right”.
Create momentum in both your health and business routines.

This conversation will help you understand why. And what to do next. Because this isn’t about willpower—it’s about capacity. And when you heal the pressure you place on yourself with food, you unlock space for self-trust, more aligned decisions, and sustainable progress.

Things to Check out from our Guest:

Seismic Shift is Laura's 8-week group coaching program that gives women the education, mindset shifts, and community they need to finally get consistent with healthy living. Visit bhealthyhabits.com/seismic-shift
Isn't She Powerful Podcast - https://bhealthyhabits.com/podcast

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Subscribe HERE to Chronically Profitable, A free exclusive weekly email series designed for creatives and women with chronic illnesses. You'll learn how to make a liveable income with your hobbies, professional skills, and innate talents by building a successful online coaching business with simple strategies that work for you, even on flare days, and feel better living with chronic illness.

To Start and Grow A Creative or Service-Based Business with Chronic Illness Join Chronically You & Profitable

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3 Ways to Make a Livable Income with Chronic Illness Without Burning Out

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 00:15:00 -0500

If you’re trying to make money while managing chronic illness, this episode is your gentle nudge and grounded strategy all in one.

Whether you’re dreaming of replacing your income, supporting your household, or finally getting paid for the work you love—this episode breaks down how to create a business that supports both your health and your bank account.

I’m walking you through 3 essential shifts that have helped me (and my clients) earn sustainable income—even through flare-ups, fatigue, and doctor’s appointments. These aren’t quick hacks or hustle-heavy tactics. They’re real-world shifts that meet you where you are.

Inside, we’ll cover:

Why your lived experience with chronic illness is an asset (yes, really)
How to leverage what you’re already good at to start earning now
What to do if you’re stuck between needing income and not having the energy
Why “being consistent” isn’t the only path to growth
The identity shift that helped me move from survival to a successful business
How to align your offers with your real life, not a fantasy schedule

Whether you’re exploring coaching, freelancing, consulting, or creative services, this conversation will help you think differently about what’s possible for your income, energy, and ease.

📌 This isn’t about pushing through. It’s about building a business that pays you back—without burning you out.

Loved this episode? Leave a review: https://www.craftedtothrive.com/reviews/new/

To Start and Grow A Creative or Service-Based Business with Chronic Illness Join Chronically You & Profitable

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When Loss Reshapes Everything What Healing Can Look Like Without a Blueprint | Amanda Guin

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 01:00:00 -0500

If you’ve ever felt like you were just trying to hold it all together… this episode is a soft landing.

Whether you’re navigating grief, chronic illness, trauma, or life just isn’t turning out the way you imagined, this is a conversation about what happens when you’re no longer okay, and the blueprint for “moving on” doesn’t fit your reality.

This week on the podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Amanda Guin a compassionate emotional intelligence coach, trauma-informed educator, and woman who has lived through unimaginable loss. Amanda’s story includes the death of her infant daughter, the suicide of her husband, years of endometriosis and chronic illness, and still… she continues to grow, serve, and show up with heart.

But she’s not here to tell you to “push through.”

Instead, she shares something powerful:

“I don’t want to just cope. I want to explore.”

Inside this episode, we explore what it looks like to:

Reimagine what healing can mean after grief, illness, or loss
Allow growth to unfold even when you feel stuck or exhausted
Let go of the pressure to “be okay” and create space for duality
Build a life and business that honors your pain and your potential
And most of all remember that you’re allowed to take your time

This episode is a gentle invitation back to yourself.

To pause. To breathe. To remember: you’re not behind, and you’re not broken.

🌿 If you’re in a season where:

Your capacity looks different than it used to
You’ve lost someone or some version of yourself along the way
You’re rebuilding slowly and quietly, unsure of what’s next
Or you’re just tired of pretending you’re fine…

This conversation is here to hold you.

You don’t have to do it all.

You don’t have to rush.

And you don’t have to “cope” the way the world expects you to.

🤍 More About Amanda

Dr. Amanda Guin is a trauma-informed emotional intelligence coach with a Doctorate in Community Care & Counseling, a Master’s in Public Health, and multiple certifications in youth mental health and suicide prevention. Her work blends research, lived experience, and emotional wisdom to help people heal through grief, find purpose again, and grow through life’s hardest transitions.

Learn more at growwithpurposecoach.com

Shop Masami & save 15%

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How She Built a Haircare Brand with Zero Investors & Big Life Interruptions | Lynn Power

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 22:47:00 -0500

Have you ever wondered how someone builds an entire haircare brand without any outside investors while navigating cancer, health challenges, and life constantly interrupting their plans?

In this episode, I’m talking with Lynn Power, founder of Masami, a clean haircare brand built from the ground up. Lynn shares her journey of launching and growing multiple businesses while dealing with:

✨ A cancer diagnosis that changed everything

✨ The reality of building slow when fast growth wasn’t possible

✨ Learning to pivot her dreams when life didn’t go as planned

✨ Why traditional “success” metrics can actually sink your business

✨ How to build a business that works for your life not the other way around

💛 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ Why chasing big retailer deals or traditional success metrics can actually hurt your business and how to decide what growth is worth pursuing

✔️ How Lynn built Masami and other brands without investors by leveraging community and partnerships

✔️ Why slow growth and redefining success became her path to resilience and how you can apply the same mindset when life interrupts your plans

If you’ve ever felt like your health, capacity, or life circumstances keep you from growing your business the way you want to, this conversation will show you that you’re not behind you’re just building in a way that honors your reality.

💛 Connect with Lynn:

Check out Power Beauty Collab

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Is Denial About Your Health Keeping Your Business Stuck | Diane Hinds

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In today’s episode, we’re exploring a question so many women with chronic illness as entrepreneurs may avoid asking themselves:

Is denial about your health keeping my business – and your life – stuck or even limiting my growth?

I sit down with Diane Hinds, an entertainment publicist, creative producer, and author, who opens up about how denial shaped her early years living with sickle cell disease and how it nearly cost her everything. She shares why pushing through was her default, how it impacted her health and career, and what changed when she finally embraced her limitations.

We talk about:

🔹 How denial shows up as overworking, over-serving, and ignoring your body

🔹 Why slowing down isn’t failure but a powerful choice

🔹 The surprising connection between embracing limitations and creating sustainable business success

🔹 Navigating family, identity, and career with a chronic condition

🔹 Finding joy in what you do when your body feels like it’s working against you

If you’ve ever felt like your health is holding you back from your purpose, or you’re tired of pretending everything’s okay when it’s not, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Diane: https://www.dianehindswrites.com/

Companies mentioned in this episode:

Anne Perry
Radio 1
BBC
Essex Radio

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Thriving Through the Pain: Celebrating 200 Episodes of Resilience

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 04:23:00 -0500

Join The Free 5 Day Audio Series - Rooted Sales

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In this episode, we dive deep into the essence of what it means to thrive amidst chronic illness and entrepreneurial challenges. Nikita Williams takes us on a reflective journey, celebrating the podcast's 200th episode by sharing her evolution as both a person and a business owner. The conversation is rich with insights on the power of vulnerability, the necessity of community, and the unique ways women with chronic illnesses can redefine success. Nikita emphasizes that while the road has been anything but straightforward, it is the commitment to growth and self-discovery that has allowed her to flourish. She encourages listeners to embrace their narratives and reminds us that our differences are what make our stories powerful. This episode serves not only as a personal milestone but also as a source of inspiration for anyone navigating the dual challenges of health and ambition.

Selling Without Sacrifice: Sustainable Business Growth for Entrepreneurs

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 01:05:00 -0500

Drawing from personal experiences and the latest research, we delve into the profound impact of working with chronic illness in entrepreneurship. This episode is all about shifting the narrative around how we approach business as women living with chronic conditions. We discuss the importance of recognizing that our health should dictate our work style, not the other way around. By challenging the status quo of 'always being on,' we encourage listeners to embrace their unique rhythms and to create business growth and business models that accommodate their health needs.

The conversation includes strategies for reconnecting with one's passion and purpose in business, ultimately leading to more aligned and successful ventures. We also introduce our new initiative, 'Rooted Sales,' designed to help our community rediscover their strengths and craft sales strategies that feel authentic and natural to them. As we wrap up, we invite everyone to join us on this journey of transformation, where we prioritize both personal well-being and professional success.

Takeaways:

Navigating chronic illness while starting a business requires tailored strategies that prioritize health and well-being.
Many traditional business models are not designed to support the unique needs of entrepreneurs with chronic conditions.
Embracing your individuality and personal story can significantly enhance your business's appeal and effectiveness.
Burnout is a common challenge for entrepreneurs with chronic illness, but it doesn't signify personal failure, just the need for a different approach.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

Harvard Business Survey
SBA.gov
Psychology Today

Join The Free 5 Day Audio Series - Rooted Sales

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Tired but Ready to Grow? Why Podcasting Is the Slow & Profitable Way Forward | Isabella Sanchez Castañeda

Fri, 30 May 2025 01:00:00 -0500

If you’re navigating chronic illness, burnout, or just done with hustle culture—but still want to grow a profitable, purpose-driven business—this conversation is for you.

In this episode, I’m joined by podcast strategist Isabella Sanchez Castañeda for a deep dive into how long-form content like podcasting is becoming essential for business growth in 2025. We explore how podcasting supports sustainable marketing, deeper visibility, and better client attraction, especially for coaches, creatives, and service providers who are tired of short-form content that doesn't convert.

Inside this episode, we talk about:

Why podcasting is a low-pressure, high-connection strategy for coaches and consultants
How long-form content builds trust, nurtures leads, and supports mindset shifts
Why content fatigue is real (especially for neurodivergent and chronically ill entrepreneurs)
The 3 I’s of effective long-form marketing: Intention, Intimacy, and less Interruption
How to align your marketing with your energy, capacity, and values
Why podcasting creates a coaching-like experience that converts without constant selling
How to shift from fast growth to slow, aligned, and profitable growth—without burning out

Whether you're a business coach, a creative entrepreneur, or a mission-led founder navigating chronic illness or fatigue, this episode will help you rethink your content strategy through a more human, powerful lens.

🎧 Tune in and discover how to grow a coaching or service business in a way that truly supports your body, your goals, and your impact.

🔗 Links To Connect With Our Guest:

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What Most People Get Wrong About Collaboration (Especially When You’re Building a Business with Chronic Illness)

Fri, 16 May 2025 01:00:00 -0500

If you’ve been told that lead generation means pitching constantly, being visible everywhere, or following a one-size-fits-all funnel strategy… this episode is going to feel like a deep breath.

In this solo episode, I share the most powerful (and overlooked) way to grow your audience, build trust, and attract aligned clients — through the sustainable and soul-led path of community and collaboration.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your approach as a coach, creative, or service provider living with chronic illness, I’ll share how to use your hobbies, professional skills, and innate talents to build visibility and create genuine relationships that convert — without pretending, burning out, or pushing beyond your body’s limits.

You’ll walk away with:

The #1 mindset shift that makes collaboration sustainable
How to attract aligned leads using your actual interests (not just business strategies)
A simple weekly rhythm for connection, even if you only have one good hour a week
Real-life examples of how I grew my podcast and audience without paid ads or constant posting
Gentle journal prompts to help you turn your personality into your magnet

This episode is a gentle nudge to do things differently — and proof that you can generate leads from a place of alignment, joy, and rest.

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