Leon spent a total of 22 years behind bars, a cycle of trauma and alcoholism that began when he was just 16 years old. But during his final stint in recovery, Leon had a realization that changed everything: to reach a new destination, he had to become a totally different person. He stopped chasing overnight success and started focusing on the power of Positioning.

In this episode, Leon and Lindsay discuss:

• The "One Ball at a Time" Philosophy: Why trying to carry all your burdens at once leads to failure, and how simplifying your focus is the key to sustainable growth.
• The Power of Something to Lose: How home ownership, healthy relationships, and a building credit score act as "anchors" that keep an entrepreneur on the right path.
• Finding Your First Clients in Unexpected Places: How Leon leveraged his church community to build a relational—rather than just transactional—business.
• Transforming Complaints into Products: How Leon and his wife, Tammy, used their own frustrations with the vendor market to create a better experience for other small businesses.
• The "Faith-Based Chamber of Commerce": A look into how blending spiritual values with business networking creates a support system that "does life together."

Leon’s calm energy and deep-seated wisdom offer a much-needed antidote to the "hustle culture" of the modern business world. Whether you are facing a massive life pivot or simply looking for the courage to take the next small step, Leon’s journey proves that it is never too late to start moving toward the life you want.

Connect with Leon Bloom:Visit lammyteon.com or find him on Instagram at @MrLammyTeon.

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Jessica's story is one of radical transformation born from rock bottom. After becoming a mom, she was hit with PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, burnout, and chronic illness — all while navigating a toxic relationship with zero support. She tried everything Western medicine had to offer and still couldn't find relief. Then she stumbled across hypnotherapy and NLP, dove in deep, and within weeks felt things shifting in a way nothing else had ever touched. She went on to get certified, build a thriving coaching business, and develop her signature Raw Integration Method — all as a single, homeschooling mom.

What Jessica teaches isn't just mindset work. It's a whole body experience — working with the unconscious mind instead of fighting it, learning to read the signals your body is already sending you, and aligning your actions with your values so that self-sabotage, guilt, and burnout stop running the show.

In this episode she shares the story of a client who came to her fresh out of hospital after a suicide attempt — and walked away sober, lighter, promoted at work, out of a toxic relationship, and completely transformed within six months.

If you've ever pushed through on sheer willpower and still felt empty on the other side, this episode will make you rethink everything.

In this episode:

• Why willpower works but isn't sustainable — and what alignment actually feels like
• What hypnotherapy really is and how it helps you break patterns fast
• The three signs you're in survival mode instead of self-mastery
• How to build a business from a place of energy rather than exhaustion
• Why getting paid to learn is one of the smartest moves a new entrepreneur can make

• Free Facebook Community: Together We ROAR
• Book: ROAR Forward
• Facebook: Together We ROAR https://www.facebook.com/coach.jessica.ellen
• Website: https://www.jessicaellen.coach

• Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

• Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

  
  

  Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Cathy's story is one of late-discovered clarity. Diagnosed with ADHD at 36 after years of misdiagnoses, burnout cycles, and silently struggling through a corporate world that wasn't built for her brain, she eventually found her way out through a unexpected creative break — writing the lyrics for TikTok Romania's Christmas ad during lockdown. From there she built a business from scratch, moving from virtual assistant to copywriter to marketing strategist, all while learning what it truly means to design work around your capacity rather than forcing yourself to fit a mold.

What makes Cathy's approach so refreshing is that she doesn't hand you a generic strategy and wish you luck. She meets you where you are — whether you're dealing with chronic illness, neurodivergence, caregiving responsibilities, or simply a life that doesn't fit the "hustle 24/7" template — and helps you build a marketing strategy that is grounded in behavioral science, deeply personal, and actually sustainable.

If you've ever felt like every business strategy you try was written for someone else entirely, this episode is going to feel like a deep exhale.

In this episode:

• How a late ADHD diagnosis changed everything Cathy thought she knew about herself
• Why cookie cutter business strategies fail so many people — and what to do instead
• The power of giving yourself permission to build in your lane
• How to turn your own lived experience into your greatest business asset
• Why your strategy should fit your life, not the other way around

Website: withcathy.com

Lynn's story is one of extraordinary perseverance. She spent years developing a film about Sacagawea — told from her perspective, woven with magical realism and Native American culture — only to shelve it twice when the timing wasn't right. Then AI video generation arrived, and everything changed. Using tools like DID, Midjourney, and Runway, Lynn and her team produced a hyper-realistic episodic AI film that puts viewers inside the Lewis and Clark expedition like never before.

But this episode isn't just about filmmaking. It's about what happens when new technology opens the door for independent creators to tell stories that big studios have ignored for decades. Lynn draws a direct parallel to the indie publishing revolution, the rise of YouTube over network television, and what it means to be a pioneer at the "bleeding edge" before the gatekeepers catch up.

If you're a creative entrepreneur wondering what's possible with the tools available right now, Lynn's story will make you dream bigger. This is history being made — and you get a front row seat.

In this episode:

• How Lynn used AI tools to produce a full episodic film on an independent budget
• Why perseverance and timing are everything in creative entrepreneurship
• The learning curve of new technology and why it's always worth it
• How AI chatbots are bringing historical figures to life for students and educators
• Why right now is the most exciting time to be an independent creator

website:https://www.amerikids.com/our-team/

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Stephanie's path into this work is anything but ordinary. A novelist since age 12 with 14 books under her belt, she followed her mom into the coaching world and quickly noticed a pattern — brilliant coaches who couldn't communicate their value. They were talking about their process when clients just wanted to know the result. So Stephanie built her entire business around fixing that.

Her signature offer? A 90-minute session where she helps coaches build out their entire coaching program — start to finish — on the call. One client came to her on a Friday needing a program tailored to a specific group of potential clients by Monday. They booked the session, built the program, nailed the selling points, and she walked into that Monday presentation ready to close. She got the clients.

This conversation goes deep on why implementation is where most coaches drop the ball, how to stop assuming your clients know what you know, and why creating a quick, tangible win early in your program is the single best thing you can do for your referral rate.

If you're a coach, course creator, or service provider who wants clients who actually finish — and rave about you after — this episode will make you rethink how you deliver your work.

In this episode:

• Why coaches are often "too educated for their own good"
• The 90-minute program creation method that wows clients instantly
• How to use AI without losing your voice or drowning in a wood pile of ideas
• Why implementation support — not just information — is what clients actually need

Website:coachclientconnection.com

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Nick shares how selling his family's waste removal company launched him into entrepreneurship, eventually leading him to build a media business that now serves 23 clients — half of which came through referrals alone. But it wasn't a straight line. Nick opens up about the six weeks he went without a single new client, the emotional toll it took, and the surprisingly simple thing that turned it all around: getting back to his morning routine.

This episode goes deep on the behind-the-scenes reality of running your own business — the impostor syndrome at the beginning, the days you want to quit, the moments where you realize you've been building on LinkedIn until you've tapped out every connection. Nick and Lindsay get real about what resiliency actually looks like when it's not pretty, and why treating your business like a job — even when you don't feel like it — is what separates the people who make it from the people who don't.

If you're in a slow season, feeling off, or just need a reminder that the hard stretch is temporary, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

In this episode:

1. Why discipline saved Nick's business during his hardest stretch
2. The morning routine that changed everything
3. How to get back on track when you've fallen off
4. Why your goal might need to be bigger than you think

Company Website: infinitesuccessmedia.com

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

In this episode, host Lindsay Sutherland sits down with the "Clarity Queen" herself, Orly Zeewy. Orly is a brand strategist, author, and "facilitator of lightbulb moments" who helps entrepreneurs stop the endless explanation and start closing leads. They dive deep into why 90% of startups fail, the "six-second rule" of human attention, and why you can’t read the label of the jar you’re sitting inside.

Whether you’re a multi-passionate entrepreneur struggling to niche down or a seasoned business owner whose messaging feels "fuzzy," this episode is your guide to becoming a solution people actually remember.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The 90% Failure Rate: Why most startups fail by year five and how a lack of marketing "engine" is often to blame.
• The 6-Second Window: How to capture attention on LinkedIn and in person before the "scroll" takes over.
• Marketing vs. Sales: Understanding that marketing is a long-term investment, not a "widget" you cut when things get slow.
• The Power of the Primary Problem: Why leading with your "zone of genius" is more effective than listing your entire offer suite.
• Case Study: The Lake vs. The Experience: A real-world example of how a summer camp went from empty spots to a waitlist by changing one simple message.

About Our Guest: Orly Zeewy

Orly Zeewy is the founder of Zeewy Brands and the author of the Amazon #1 bestseller, Ready, Launch, Brand: The Lean Marketing Guide for Startups. With a background in design and a DNA for entrepreneurship, Orly specializes in making "fuzzy" clear. She helps founders transform their LinkedIn profiles into lead funnels and their elevator pitches into actual conversations.

Connect with Orly:

• Website: ZeewyBrands.com
• LinkedIn: Connect with Orly Zeewy
• Book: Ready, Launch, Brand: The Lean Marketing Guide for Startups on Amazon
• Free Resource: Join Orly’s Monthly Free Clarity Hour Q&A for live LinkedIn feedback and "before and after" messaging examples.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Book a Strategy Session: Stop guessing and start moving the needle. Visit BizInABoxSolutions.com for a complimentary consultation with Lindsay and Emily.

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Melanie draws a brilliant distinction most people miss: marketing asks for the sale; PR tells your story. Think of them as two lanes on a highway. One lane is constantly saying "buy my book, join my retreat, hire me." The other lane is explaining who you are, why you do what you do, and how you help people. That's the lane where connection happens—and where visibility actually works.

But here's the real breakthrough: Melanie doesn't teach cookie-cutter formulas. She teaches women to get solid in who they are first. Because if you're trying to look perfect, polished, and put-together all the time, you're actually repelling the people who need you most. The messy divorce survivor isn't reaching out to the coach who looks like she's never had a bad day. She's reaching out to the one who's real.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why "raw, real, and relatable" wins over polished perfection every time
2. The question Melanie asks clients before they share vulnerable stories (hint: it's about emotional resilience, not strategy)
3. How to network both online and in-person without feeling slimy or salesy
4. Why referrals are your secret weapon when you're just starting out
5. The mindset shift that happens when women finally stop comparing themselves to the "big names" in their industry
6. Why even Beyoncé still does PR (and what that means for you)

If you've been hiding behind your business because you don't feel "established enough," or you're worried about being judged, this episode will give you permission to just be you—oil stains and all.

Connect with Melanie: youareyourmarketing.com | Instagram & Threads: @youareyourmarketing | LinkedIn & Facebook: Melanie Whittaker (with pink hair!)

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Scott's approach is refreshingly human: sales isn't about being pushy or manipulative—it's about helping people. When you shift your mindset from "I'm selling" to "I'm helping," everything changes. You build trust faster, show up with better energy, and connect from the heart instead of the head.

Key insights from our conversation:

1. Get out of your own way: Sales is easy when you believe you're helping people, not just trying to close deals
2. Permission to be yourself: The system gets tailored to YOUR personality—not some cookie-cutter sales script that feels fake
3. AI enhances humanity: Use AI for the repetitive stuff (outreach, scheduling, list-building) so you can focus 100% on the human connection
4. The three-stage sales path: Discovery (asking questions, showing you care) → Demo/Presentation (80-90% consistent, 10% customized to their personality) → Proposal/Close
5. Personalize after automation: Scott uses AI for LinkedIn outreach, but the moment someone responds, he stops the automation and researches them personally
6. Money conversations get easier: When you believe in the value you're providing and know you're helping (not just selling), pricing becomes less anxiety-inducing
7. Consistency creates results: I share a client story—a health coach who went from barely paying bills to earning $20K/month consistently just by systemizing her offers

Scott's final message: You need money to live the life you want. If you can't close sales, you can't pay your bills. So stop overthinking it, build a system, and focus on genuinely helping people.

Connect with Scott: salesscalers.com or find him on LinkedIn

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Catherine's journey started with a familiar struggle: she wanted to be present for her babies, but also needed income. After cramming a teaching qualification into one intense year (while pregnant with her second child), she stumbled onto an industry most people don't even know exists—online ESL teaching. Since 2017, she's been teaching English to students around the world from her home, allowing her to homeschool her own children while earning an income.

But here's where it gets really interesting: Catherine didn't stop at teaching. She identified a massive gap in the market—affordable, play-based English learning resources for families who couldn't afford private tutoring. So she built a second income stream through digital printables and curriculum focused on story-based learning for 3-8 year olds. Now she helps families globally through her YouTube channel (free lessons!), her website (TheoET.com), and platforms like Teachers Pay Teachers.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. How to get started as an online ESL teacher (even without a teaching background)
2. What companies provide—materials, students, and no marketing required
3. The difference between teaching 1-on-1, small groups, and classrooms (and which pays best)
4. How Catherine transitioned from working for companies to freelancing (where rates are significantly higher)
5. Why she chose YouTube, email, and long-form content over social media (and how it's working)
6. The "shiny object syndrome" trap and how accountability partners helped her finally scale
7. How to build a digital product business around what you're already creating

Whether you're a parent desperate to stay home with your kids, a teacher looking for flexibility, or an entrepreneur curious about the digital product world, Catherine's story proves you can build multiple income streams doing work you genuinely love.

Connect with Catherine: TheoET.com | Free resources for families & teachers | YouTube: story-based English lessons

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Kelly's story starts like so many others: she had a dream of starting her own business, but kept putting it off. For two years, she had a business name, a website, and a vision—but no action. Then came the meeting with HR. Her role was eliminated. And instead of panicking, she made a decision: it was time to bet on herself.

Here's what makes Kelly's story so powerful: she didn't have a huge following, a massive email list, or even a perfect business plan. What she DID have was clarity on her "Authority X Factor"—the unique combination of skills and experience that made her irreplaceable. She packaged what she'd done for her former boss (ghostwriting, speaking engagements, podcast bookings, thought leadership positioning) into a clear, high-ticket offer. Within a week, she had her first client. Within months, she had a team.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why niching down by offering (not industry) is the key to standing out in a crowded market
2. How Kelly turned one case study into a scalable service business
3. The mindset shift from "I'm just worth $50/hour" to "I can sell $25K packages"
4. Why she chose to build an agency instead of staying a solopreneur—and how fast she scaled
5. The exact conversations and communities that landed her first clients (hint: it wasn't cold outreach)

If you've been laid off, furloughed, or just dreaming of ditching your W-2 for a work-from-home lifestyle, Kelly's story proves it's not only possible—it's the fastest path to freedom when you package your expertise the right way.

Connect with Kelly: twomilehighmarketing.com | Take the Thought Leadership Scorecard | LinkedIn: Kelly Schuckneckt

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Michelle Heberling, founder and author of The Guts of Fermentation, to unpack exactly how she transformed her catering expertise and love of food into a multi-layered online business—and how you can do the same with YOUR passion.

Michelle shares her journey from growing up on a farm, to moving to San Francisco during the food movement, to taking clients on off-grid retreats where she cooked life-changing meals that left people raving about their poop stories (yes, really). When her clients kept asking for recipes, she listened—and that listening sparked an entire ecosystem of products, programs, and digital offerings.

Here's what Michelle built from ONE core passion:

1. A book that doesn't just share recipes, but connects the dots between soil health, fermented food, and gut healing (something no one else was doing)
2. Online classes teaching fermentation techniques and her signature two-week gut reset
3. Train-the-trainer certification for health practitioners, nutritionists, and coaches who want to use her protocol with their clients
4. Fermentation kits that make it easy for beginners to get started
5. A phone app (built with AI!) that guides users through personalized gut-health protocols and tracks progress

Lindsay introduces the "Rose Bush Model"—the idea that your business starts with one or two stems, but over time, with care and attention, it grows into a full, thriving bush with multiple branches (revenue streams). Michelle's story is the perfect example of this in action.

You'll also hear how Michelle used AI to organize 127 recipes, format citations, and even build her app—proof that you don't need a huge team or budget to scale your passion into profit.

If you've ever wondered whether you could turn what you love into real income, this episode will show you it's not only possible—it's happening right now.

Connect with Michelle: thegutsoffermentation.com | Instagram: @thegutsoffermentation

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

If you've ever wondered whether summits are worth the effort, how to find speakers, or what actually converts attendees into paying clients, this conversation will answer every question you didn't know you had.

Jessyka walks us through her entire summit journey—from her very first event (which took three chaotic months to pull together) to her current streamlined process of hosting two high-converting summits per year. She shares the behind-the-scenes logistics most people don't talk about: how she vets speakers, why she asks about email list size upfront, how she structures interviews to keep mamas engaged, and the exact monetization model she uses (VIP passes, webinars, and strategic follow-up sequences).

You'll also hear the surprising mindset shifts that made the biggest difference in her results—including why the energy you bring to speaker outreach actually impacts response rates, and why choosing your lane and staying committed matters more than chasing the latest marketing trend.

Key takeaways include:

1. Live vs. prerecorded: Why Jessyka switched formats based on audience feedback (and how surveys changed everything)
2. Speaker strategy: How to find the right guests, why email list size matters, and what to track with link analytics
3. The sweet spot: Why 5 speakers per day is the magic number, and how shorter interviews with more speakers can outperform fewer long sessions
4. Organic promotion only: How she fills summits without running a single ad (hint: it's all about speaker collaboration and email)
5. The power of consistency: Why marrying one strategy—even an imperfect one—beats pivoting every six months

Whether you're a coach, consultant, course creator, or service provider looking for a scalable way to build your list and attract dream clients, this episode proves that summits are far from dead—they just need to be done right.

Connect with Jessyka: ACE Cookie Tutoring (acecookietutoring.com)

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Shelli Hendricks, founder of Blue Horizon Solutions and a veteran entrepreneur with nearly 10 years of experience helping business owners build sustainable, scalable ventures. Shelli shares a perspective shift that changed everything for her coaching practice: learning to treat her business as its own identity, separate from her personal worth.

Shelli walks us through the emotional trap many consultants and coaches fall into—absorbing their clients' businesses as if they were their own. While this deep care comes from a genuine place, it creates fragmented energy, unclear boundaries, and ultimately limits both the coach and the client. When you take on someone else's business as your responsibility, you rob them of the empowerment to make their own decisions.

Drawing from her background in Fortune 500 leadership development and her work with everyone from scuba shop owners to software developers, Shelli introduces the "Sherpa" mentality: you're the guide with the tools, knowledge, and experience, but the climb belongs to your client. This shift doesn't mean caring less—it means caring strategically.

Throughout the conversation, Lindsay and Shelli dig into practical strategies for separating emotion from decision-making, the power of observing feelings without letting them drive your business choices, and how treating your business like an asset on the shelf (something you can examine objectively) opens up entirely new possibilities you can't see when you're emotionally entangled.

Shelli also shares her four coaching pillars—navigating life transitions, building new businesses, scaling with the Value Builder program, and leadership development—and explains how she structures pricing to reflect value, not just time. Plus, you'll hear a memorable analogy about farm animals that will forever change how you think about attachment to your work.

If you've ever struggled with boundaries, felt drained by your clients' challenges, or wondered how to show up powerfully without burning out, this episode is for you.

Connect with Shelli: Blue Horizon Coach (shelli@bluehorizonsolutions.org)

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

In this episode, I'm joined by Sabena Miller, founder of Kairos XP, a systems and process consultant who's spent decades helping companies—from the New York Stock Exchange to small businesses—streamline their operations. If you've ever felt paralyzed trying to figure out what comes first (the website? the CRM? the email forms?), this conversation will give you clarity.

Sabena's superpower is assessing what's working and what's not, then rebuilding processes so everyone—from employees to customers—can understand and use them effectively. She's not an IT expert or a software specialist; she's a generalist who knows enough about everything to identify whether you need better tools, better processes, or both.

Key insights from our conversation:

1. Start with a workflow: List what you do, break it into steps, and follow one path at a time—don't get distracted by shiny objects
2. Think in phases and outlines: Identify what you need in place before you can build the next thing (like remodeling a kitchen—bring in an expert who knows the new tools available)
3. Client perspective vs. business owner perspective: Start with the problem you're solving and work backward—what's the hangup? What's not working?
4. Word of mouth beats everything: Sabena's clients come from referrals and free value—coaching, content, and genuinely helping people
5. The AI fatigue is real: Everyone's using the same frameworks and prompts, making content feel replicated and salesy—authenticity is your competitive advantage
6. Perfection is the enemy of progress: Authenticity beats polish—people engage with people first, information second. Start messy and refine as you go.

We also went deep on AI, marketing psychology, imposter syndrome, and why your course/service isn't oversaturated just because you see it everywhere (spoiler: algorithms show you what you're already interested in—your audience hasn't seen it yet).

Connect with Sabena: LinkedIn @SabenaMiller or visit kairosxp.com

In this episode, I'm joined by Vera Jackson, a holistic therapist and health coach who helps women navigate hormonal issues like PCOS, fibroids, perimenopause, and blood sugar management. Vera's journey is a masterclass in filtering through the overwhelming amount of business advice available online to find what actually works for you.

After spending three years studying nutritional therapy—completing multiple exams, clinic hours, and case assessments—Vera got her diploma and realized she was starting from absolute zero when it came to marketing and building a business. Sound familiar?

Key insights from our conversation:

1. The only way to weed out the noise is to try: Vera tested different business coaches, attended free webinars, and joined various sessions until she found someone whose energy and messaging resonated with her authentically
2. Clarity comes from refinement: She reworked her messaging multiple times until people could instantly understand what she does and who she serves
3. Package strategically by client needs: Vera offers three tiers—entry-level (2 sessions), intermediate (8-10 weeks), and long-term (up to 6 months)—based on complexity, not arbitrary pricing
4. Small, sustainable changes win: Her approach focuses on manageable shifts in diet and lifestyle that clients can actually maintain (no one's giving up their coffee!)
5. Problem-aware vs. curious clients: She primarily targets people actively seeking solutions, while using community webinars to help curious prospects become problem-aware
6. 2026 strategy shift: Moving from big marketing funnels to local, in-person community meetings—banking on the growing desire for real human connection in an AI-saturated world

Vera's biggest takeaway? In an age where AI makes everything feel fake or too polished, showing up as a real person—whether through face-to-face meetings or authentic online presence—is becoming the most powerful differentiator.

Connect with Vera on Instagram: @vera.jackson.well.being

In this episode, I'm joined by Maranda Taylor, founder of Charm and Strategy, a business consultant who's mastered the art of building a business while navigating single parenthood and financial pressure. If you've ever felt like you're just surviving instead of thriving, Maranda's story and strategies will hit home.

Maranda's journey is anything but linear—from studying metallurgical engineering to owning a martial arts school, getting a real estate license, running a craft business that hit six figures, and finally going all-in on Charm and Strategy just yesterday. She's lived the struggle of doing everything the hard way, and now she's dedicated to helping other entrepreneurs (especially single parents) skip the pain and build strategic, profitable businesses.

What you'll learn in this conversation:

1. The four-step framework: Be delusional, organize your business, have no shame, stay curious—and never let "I know" stop you from asking questions
2. The 15-minute problem-solving rule: Any problem can be solved in 15 minutes if you work backwards from your goal and take immediate action
3. Why being authentically honest matters more than being nice: Sometimes tough love is the greatest gift you can give someone who's stuck
4. The power of being a "sunflower": How showing up as positive support for others' dreams creates ripple effects (and why you should be a "rose" for yourself)
5. How she got her first clients: Showing up, asking questions, and literally sitting with people who were struggling—word of mouth built everything
6. The invitation strategy: Invite yourself to tables where you don't belong and become the "dumbest person in the room"—that's where growth happens
7. Breaking through survival mode: How to shift from paycheck-to-paycheck panic to strategic moves that create contracts and cash flow

Maranda's message is clear: the ceiling isn't real, you're more capable than you think, and if you lead with curiosity and authenticity, doors will open.

Connect with Maranda: charmandstrategy.com or find her on TikTok and Facebook @MarandaTaylorOmaha

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

In this episode of the Freedom Entrepreneur Podcast, host Lindsay Sutherland sits down with KJ Blattenbauer, founder of Hearsay PR, who spent nearly three decades behind the scenes shaping narratives for founders and experts. KJ shares a refreshing truth: the most successful entrepreneurs aren't always the most talented—they're the most well-positioned and strategic about how they use their time.

What You'll Learn:

KJ breaks down why clarity beats content volume every single time. She explains how to identify your one clear authority angle and repeat it everywhere, rather than burning yourself out creating endless content pillars. You'll discover why your website and social bios need to tell a consistent story before you pursue any visibility strategy, and how to determine where your actual target audience spends their time (hint: it might not be social media at all).

The Power of Borrowed Authority:

One of the most valuable insights from this conversation is KJ's approach to leveraging other people's platforms. She reveals how she's appeared on 165 podcasts for her book launch—without spending a dime—and why being a guest on established platforms is infinitely more efficient than building your own from scratch. You'll learn the simple two-to-three sentence pitch formula that gets media attention, and why press releases might not be your best investment.

Beyond the Tactics:

KJ also addresses something many entrepreneurs struggle with: believing their story isn't interesting enough. She explains why every business owner has a compelling narrative (even if you had a perfectly normal childhood), and how sharing your authentic story—not a manufactured persona—creates the magnetic connection that converts prospects into clients.

If you're ready to stop the content hamster wheel and start building real authority that AI can't replicate, this episode is your roadmap to strategic, sustainable visibility that actually moves the needle in your business.

hearsaypr.com

kj@hearsaypr.com

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

After spending 23 years working in the commercial Christmas installation industry (yes, that's a thing!), Stacey made the bold decision to leave her VP of Sales position and start her own business. Just six months later, she's already crossed six figures in revenue by helping residential Christmas light installers break into the lucrative commercial space.

In this episode, Stacey breaks down how she built multiple income streams around one hyper-focused niche: consultations, training programs, project management, and product sales. She shares the systems and strategies she developed over two decades that allowed her to scale quickly without the typical startup struggles.

But this isn't just a business success story. It's a deeply personal journey of transformation. Stacey opens up about overcoming a depleting divorce, moving from California to Texas for a fresh start, and finding the confidence to stop playing small after years of building other people's companies.

You'll learn:

1. Why hyper-focusing on a specific niche accelerates growth
2. How to create multiple revenue streams around one area of expertise
3. The power of knowing who you DON'T want to work with
4. Why investing in coaching and mindset work pays off exponentially
5. The "dump list" technique for moving through doubt and overwhelm
6. How to set big, scary goals and actually achieve them

Whether you're just starting out or ready to pivot from employee to entrepreneur, Stacey's story proves that with the right systems, focus, and mindset, you're capable of far more than you realize.

Connect with Stacey at RedSleighWorkshop.com or find her on all social platforms @RedSleighWorkshop.

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Daniel Faust, founder of Military Marriage Warriors on Skool, joins me to share his journey from nearly divorcing after seven years of marriage to building a thriving multi-faceted community business. His story is proof that our biggest struggles often become our greatest missions.

Daniel introduces us to his "MESS" method—dealing with Mental, Emotional, Social, Sexual, and Spiritual challenges—and explains how this holistic approach shaped his entire business model. But here's where it gets really valuable for online business builders: Daniel breaks down exactly how he structures his community across four distinct "lanes" (prayer room, bedroom, living room, and boardroom), essentially creating four complementary businesses that feed into each other.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. The truth about Skool's pricing tiers and when to upgrade (spoiler: start small!)
2. Why building your audience should come BEFORE building your product
3. How to niche down without limiting your growth potential
4. The difference between platforms like Shopify vs. Amazon, and Skool vs. custom memberships
5. Daniel's strategy of doing six lives daily across multiple platforms to build his audience
6. How to lane your content so people know exactly where to start
7. The power of "crowdsource wisdom" in product development

Daniel gets refreshingly honest about his failures too—like running a digital TV company that competed with YouTube (spoiler: don't do that). His insights on starting with established platforms, stewarding small before going big, and staying humble enough to learn and pivot are gold for anyone building an online business.

Whether you're considering Skool, already building a community, or just trying to figure out where to start, this conversation will help you make smarter decisions about your platform, your audience, and your growth strategy.

Connect with Daniel: https://linktr.ee/warhero2superhero

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

In this episode, I'm joined by Chad Smith, founder of Five Lions Marketing based in Maryland. Chad brings a unique perspective to marketing—he spent 25 years in the fitness industry owning gyms before transitioning into helping entrepreneurs craft winning messages that attract and retain ideal clients.

What makes Chad's approach so valuable is that he doesn't think like a typical agency guy. He's a coach at heart, and he brings that coaching mentality to marketing strategy. His background in one of the most competitive industries taught him a crucial lesson: you don't need to do what everyone else is doing to stand out—you just need to be different and authentic.

Key takeaways from our conversation:

1. The power of client-focused messaging: Chad didn't show off six-pack abs in his gym ads—he featured real client transformations and life changes (playing with kids, performing better at work, regaining confidence)
2. Building community as your competitive advantage: "Come for the training, stay for the friendships"—making your business someone's "third place" creates incredible loyalty
3. The complaint mining strategy: Use AI to analyze your prospect conversations, DMs, emails, and sales calls to identify exact pain points and objections in your clients' own words
4. The Elite Client Acquisition Framework: Attraction → Engagement → Conversion (most people skip the engagement phase and wonder why conversion is so hard)
5. One audience, one message, one channel: Master one thing before adding complexity—don't try to be Gary Vee with 30 pieces of content per day
6. 90% pre-sold before the sales call: By the time prospects meet with you, they should already believe you have the answer—the call is just about choosing their level of investment
7. Finding your content vehicle: Whether it's writing, video, podcasts, or blogging—lean into what you're naturally good at rather than forcing what works for someone else

Chad's approach is refreshingly practical and rooted in understanding your audience at a "genetic level" before crafting messaging that makes you the logical choice.

Connect with Chad: fivelionsmarketing.com or grab his book at eliteacquisitionblueprint.com

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

In this episode, I sit down with Laura Garces, a spiritual coach who helps women break free from repetitive relationship patterns. What makes Laura's story particularly valuable for those just starting out is that she's building her business in her spare time while maintaining a full-time job—and she's doing it strategically using TikTok.

Laura's journey into coaching began after her own divorce led her to discover family constellations therapy with a coach in Colombia. The transformation was so profound that she knew she had to share this work with others who might be stuck in the same painful cycles she experienced.

Key insights from our conversation:

1. The education mindset: Laura tried multiple coaches and certifications before finding the right fit—and she doesn't view any of it as wasted money. She reframes every "failed" investment as education that brought her closer to what she actually needed
2. Finding your platform authentically: Before choosing TikTok for business, Laura noticed it was the platform where people showed up raw and real—sharing messy rooms, career struggles, and vulnerable moments
3. The advantage of starting fresh: By building on a platform where she had no friends or family following, Laura avoided the fear of judgment and went straight to building a cold audience
4. Speaking their language: Instead of using professional terms like "nervous system," Laura uses the actual words her audience searches for: "can't sleep," "exhausted," "not happy"
5. Community over content: She engages genuinely in comment sections, building real relationships rather than just posting and ghosting
6. The soft invitation: Laura doesn't push or "hook" people—she offers solutions to those who are ready and lets others know the door is open when they are

If you're building a side business or trying to figure out which platform fits your message, Laura's strategic approach to TikTok and her mindset around investing in yourself will resonate deeply.

Connect with Laura: @bridgecoachingbylaura on TikTok and Instagram

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

In this episode, I'm joined by husband-and-wife duo Kristina and Herb Heagh-Avritt, co-owners of Vibrant Family Education. Their journey is a masterclass in trusting your gut when the traditional playbook doesn't fit—and still building something meaningful.

After 27 years in public education, Kristina left the classroom to help families outside the broken system. But starting their business came with its own challenges. They hired coaches, followed all the "right" strategies, and tried to build the perfect sales funnel with all the hype and urgency tactics everyone talks about. The problem? It felt completely inauthentic.

What you'll learn in this conversation:

1. Why "if I can do it, you can too" doesn't work for everyone: Not every personality type thrives with the same strategies—finding what fits YOU is everything
2. The power of consistency over hype: Three years and 160+ podcast episodes later, they're being discovered organically without the "big launch" fanfare
3. Building on integrity, not speed: Why Herb's systems-thinking approach means planting seeds now that bear fruit in 3-5 years
4. The hidden cost of "overnight success": What really happens behind those "I made $100K in 90 days" claims
5. Finding your people as a B2C business: How they're reaching parents through podcasts, library storytelling, summits, and community partnerships
6. Creating what you need: They're launching a family platform with a calendar, meeting planner, and growth compass—because Herb wanted to solve his own problem first

Kristina and Herb's story is refreshingly honest about the messy middle—the pivots, the shiny squirrels, the three years of hard work that's finally starting to pay off. If you've ever felt like everyone else's marketing strategies don't quite fit your soul, this conversation will validate everything you're feeling.

Connect with them at vibrantfamilyeducation.com

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Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

In this episode, I sit down with Kameran Thompson Al-Areqi, founder of Recognizing Potential Coaching and a certified relationship coach through the Gottman Institute. Kameran's journey from elementary school teacher to full-time marriage coach wasn't overnight—it took four years of grinding while teaching full-time, solo parenting, and trying to do everything herself.

This conversation is packed with real talk about the mistakes we make when starting out. Kamera n shares how comparing herself to other coaches making "10 grand a month" led her down a rough path of burnout and stretching herself way too thin. She juggled 10 different courses, tried to learn all the marketing herself, and gave herself a "D+ in every area of life" while attempting to coach others.

Key takeaways from our conversation:

1. Why you need to listen to your people: Whether it's a partner, best friend, or mentor who sees what you can't see, their perspective is gold
2. The danger of doing it all alone: Kameron waited four years to ask for help, and she breaks down exactly how hiring a virtual assistant and delegating content creation changed everything
3. Branding mistakes that cost you: Her rebrand story (including losing thousands of Instagram followers to a hacker) offers crucial lessons about choosing names that are easy to spell and search
4. Setting boundaries saves your business: Now she only works with seven couples at a time and takes intentional breaks between her men's and women's groups
5. Building recurring revenue: How she uses School and mini-courses to create income that doesn't require her constant presence

If you're just getting started or feeling burned out from trying to do everything yourself, Kameron's story will resonate deeply. She keeps it real about the messy middle, the importance of getting crystal clear on what you don't want, and why consistency in just one or two things beats being scattered across every platform.

Connect with Kameran on Instagram @marriedandconnected or check out her podcast, Married and Connected.

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

That's how Barbara Grassey describes building a six-figure ghostwriting business that's allowed her to move to Portugal and work from anywhere. No grand plan. Just one friend asking for help with a 37-page "book" written in 14 different fonts.

Twenty years later, Barbara has ghostwritten for real estate gurus, business coaches, and consultants across the country. Her projects start at $25,000. But here's what nobody tells you about the writing business: Even after 20 years, you're never quite sure if your work is good enough.

In this conversation, Barbara reveals:

The Accidental Business Model: Barbara started in real estate investing right before the 2008 crash. One favor for a friend turned into referrals through a JV group of national gurus. Her advice? Start where you already have contacts and a reputation. Branch out later.

The Passive Income Pivot: After 20 years of trading time for money, Barbara's building multiple income streams:

1. Substack bringing in a couple thousand/year
2. $200 online memoir course
3. Fiction books (light mysteries and paranormal cozies)
4. Free book funnels that sell series

Her philosophy? Build 10 small income streams like rental houses—"the toilets never clog."

The SEO Shift to AI: Barbara's marketing friend has been optimizing for Google for years. First it was blogs. Then Pinterest. Now? Optimize for AI, not Google.

The hack? Publish on Reddit, Substack, and LinkedIn Articles. These platforms have AI credibility—your content shows up in ChatGPT searches even if your website doesn't. This is the new .com bubble. Get in early or become noise.

The Self-Doubt Reality: "This has already been said. I'm just a little guy."

Barbara's response? The big names forgot what it's like to be in the trenches. YOU are closer to the people who need help. You bring your own perspective—that's your value.

The Amazon Truth: "Putting your book on Amazon is like having a kiosk in the Mall of Americas. You're in a place with lots of traffic, but nobody knows you're there."

Books make $2-7 per sale. You need volume. But Barbara's playing the long game with fiction that compounds over time.

The Pricing Wake-Up Call: Barbara consulted for a $22K/year mastermind, giving one hour/week of advice. She realized: "These people are paying $22K for me when they could hire me directly and get way more value."

Sometimes you're paying big bucks without getting real value. And sometimes you're undercharging because you're comparing yourself to the wrong people.

The Bottom Line: Start where you have contacts. Build small income streams that compound. Optimize for AI. Don't compare yourself to gurus—you have your own value. And remember: it's all figureoutable.

ABOUT BARBARA GRASSEY:

Barbara Grassey is a ghostwriter and book coach who's spent 20+ years helping business coaches, consultants, and entrepreneurs write authority-building books. She offers ghostwriting starting at $25K, book coaching, and online courses. She's also building passive income through Substack, fiction books, and ad revenue.

Barbara lives in Portugal and works with clients globally. She believes in starting where you have contacts, building multiple income streams, and remembering that websites are like rental houses—the toilets never clog.

Connect with Barbara: 🌐 barbaragrassey.com 📝 Substack: Moving to Portugal + Memoir Writing 📚 Fiction: Light mysteries & paranormal cozies

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Welcome to 2026, where email marketing got a whole lot more complicated—and a whole lot more important.

Melissa Seideman didn't plan to become an email marketing expert. She was a high school history teacher for 15 years, selling curriculum online to make extra money because daycare was too expensive. Then something happened: She started sending emails. Really good emails. The kind that made a couple thousand dollars per send.

Other teachers noticed. They started asking: "What are you doing that I'm not doing?"

Fast forward to today: Melissa runs Not Another VA with a team of eight (all moms, mostly former or current teachers), managing email marketing for 30+ clients across wildly different industries—curriculum sellers, therapists, anxiety coaches, HVAC companies, brick-and-mortar businesses, and digital shops.

And she's seen it all: accounts shut down for breaking the new rules, clients losing entire lists overnight, open rates plummeting from 80% to 20% after switching to AI-written emails.

In this conversation, Melissa reveals:

The New Email Rules (Ignore Them at Your Peril):

1. Paid domain emails are mandatory (no more gmail.com or yahoo.com)
2. Domain verification is non-negotiable (you must own your business domain)
3. List warming is essential (even if you switch platforms or get a new domain)
4. Double opt-in protects you (and keeps your deliverability intact)

The Client Who Didn't Listen: One client ignored Melissa's warnings and kept sending emails without following the new regulations. Result? Every single email landed in spam with a warning: "This is not a safe sender." Her sender reputation was destroyed.

The 100K Email Disaster: Another client sent emails to 100,000 people without warming up her domain. The email provider shut down her account immediately. She lost everything—her entire list, gone.

The AI Email Experiment That Failed: A client left Melissa after three years to use AI for emails. Her open rates dropped from 80% to 20% overnight. Why? The emails didn't sound human. They were too polished, too obvious, too robotic. People could tell.

What Actually Works:

1. Consistency matters more than frequency (one email/month consistently beats sporadic bursts)
2. Size doesn't matter (Melissa has a client with 3,000 people who made $200K in 4 years)
3. Engagement beats volume (80% open rate, 15% click rate = consistent weekly sales)
4. Human touch is irreplaceable (AI can enhance, but it can't replicate your stories, your voice, your relationships)

The $4,000 Tiny List Win: Lindsay shares a client story: A Christmas decorator with just 500 people on her list (built organically over 2-3 years) sent one simple email per week during her season. Total revenue: nearly $4,000. Small list. High engagement. Real results.

The Email Sending Domain Hack: Melissa and Lindsay dive into a technical workaround most platforms don't offer: using email sending subdomains (like email.notanotherva.com) so if you get flagged, you don't destroy your main domain. Go High Level does this. Most others don't.

What You Can't Do Anymore:

1. Buy email lists (even in B2B—it'll destroy your sender reputation)
2. Mass send without warming up (gradual sends only, especially for new domains)
3. Switch platforms and blast your list (you must warm up the new domain too)

The Hiring Strategy: Melissa shares her teacher-brain approach to hiring VAs:

1. Pre-interview questions to narrow candidates
2. Paid demo assignments (write an email with zero training)
3. Tests for organization, attention to detail, following instructions, and meeting deadlines
4. She's kept some VAs for 4 years using this system

The Human vs. AI Battle: Melissa's emails are hand-written by humans, then enhanced with AI for subject lines and quotes. Why? Because AI can't know:

1. The inside stories of your business
2. Your offers, timing, and seasonal launches
3. Your personality quirks (like mentioning Sadie the dog during a snow day)
4. The relationships you're building (clients replying asking for photos of the dog)

The Bottom Line: Email marketing in 2025 requires technical precision AND human connection. Break the rules? Your emails go to spam. Use only AI? Your open rates tank. But get it right—consistent, human, strategic—and a list of 500 can make you $4,000. A list of 3,000 can make you $200K.

Melissa's Offer: She's launching "Grow Your List" collaboratives for freelancers—$30/month to join a shared landing page where everyone promotes each other's opt-ins. Members grow their lists by 200-500 emails/month organically.

The System: Melissa's team researches, plans, writes, automates, and resends emails for clients. They provide full data analysis: open rates, click rates, sales attribution (some platforms show exactly how much money each email makes). Clients hand off the entire email process and get consistent results.

ABOUT MELISSA SEIDEMAN:

Melissa Seideman is the founder of Not Another VA, an email marketing agency serving 30+ clients across industries from curriculum sellers to HVAC companies. A former high school history teacher for 15 years, Melissa started selling her curriculum online when daycare got too expensive—and discovered she had a knack for email marketing when her emails consistently made thousands of dollars per send.

Today, she runs a team of eight (all moms, mostly former or current teachers) who hand-write emails enhanced with AI, never fully automated. Her approach blends teacher-level organization with human storytelling—because she's seen firsthand what happens when businesses rely only on AI (open rates drop from 80% to 20%).

Melissa is a Type-A organizer who uses Asana for task management, creates SOPs for everything, and believes consistency beats perfection every time. She's passionate about helping moms build businesses that work around their lives—not the other way around.

Connect with Melissa: 🌐 notanotherva.com 📱 Instagram/LinkedIn/Facebook: @notanotherva 👥 Facebook Group: Email Marketing for Businesses 🚀 Grow Your List Collaborative: Launching for freelancers in 2025

Key Takeaway: In 2025, email marketing is both harder (technical regulations) and more powerful (small engaged lists make big money) than ever before. The secret? Human-written emails that follow the rules.

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Mentioned in this episode:

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Text FREEDOM to 55444 to get the free guide Earn $5k/month on repeat. Stop chasing time for money clients, build stability and scalability with recurring revenue.

Matt Green, founder of Ledger Medial, didn't start out in accounting. He moved to Nashville to become a musician, studied audio engineering, and played drums in a band. But when he moved back to South Carolina in 2009 with three kids and zero job security, he made a dramatic pivot: from the most unstructured career (music) to the most structured (accounting).

That unconventional path gave him a perspective most accountants don't have—and it's why he's built his firm completely differently.

In this conversation, Matt reveals:

The Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make:

1. Why commingling personal and business accounts isn't just messy—it destroys your liability protection (piercing the corporate veil)
2. Open a separate business bank account with $100 and never transfer money between accounts
3. Why depreciation trips up even smart business owners (that $200K shop you built? You can't deduct it all at once)

The False Sense of Security: When your bookkeeper and tax preparer don't talk to each other, you think you're netting $50K—then you owe $30K in taxes you didn't plan for. Matt explains how keeping them separate creates a "false sense of profitability" that paralyzes businesses.

The S-Corp Sweet Spot: At what income level does filing as an S-Corp actually make sense? Matt breaks down the math: $30K net profit is where the benefits start outweighing the costs. Self-employment tax is 15.3%—eliminate it strategically and you keep thousands more.

The Inventory Trap: Why putting inventory straight to Cost of Goods Sold instead of properly accounting for it on your balance sheet can wreck your financials (and why your CPA should have caught it).

How to Vet Your Accountant:

1. Ask if they've worked in your industry
2. Check Google reviews obsessively
3. Demand responsiveness (ghosting is an "epidemic" in accounting)
4. Verify credentials (degree, IRS Enrolled Agent, CPA, or equivalent experience)

The Virtual Advantage: Matt launched Ledger Medial in August 2020—100% virtual from day one. No physical location. Clients in Washington State, Virgin Islands, New York, Florida, Texas, California, and everywhere in between. He charges way less than the typical $300/hour CPA firm rate because his team structure is smarter.

The Software Trap Keeping Accountants Local: Why most accounting firms stay "landlocked" to 2-3 states: Their software (like Ultra Tax) charges them $26-40 PER RETURN for every state outside their package. Matt's system? Built for nationwide work from the start.

Red Flags You're Overpaying: If your bookkeeper doesn't understand tax implications and your tax preparer is making "adjustments" to your books every year—you're literally paying twice for the same work.

Bottom Line: Stop separating your bookkeeping and tax prep. It's not more cost-effective—it's more expensive and more dangerous. One cohesive system saves you money, stress, and surprise tax bills.

ABOUT MATT GREEN:

Matt Green is the founder of Ledger Medial, a fully virtual accounting firm serving clients across all 50 states. After an unconventional start as a drummer and audio engineer in Nashville, Matt pivoted to accounting in 2012, earning his Bachelor's degree, MBA, and IRS Enrolled Agent license.

He spent five years at a CPA firm before launching Ledger Medial in August 2020—right in the middle of COVID—with a completely virtual model. Today, his team of six handles everything from bookkeeping to tax preparation for entrepreneurs nationwide, including a gas station in Washington, a bar in the Virgin Islands, artists in New York, and energy companies in Los Angeles.

Matt's philosophy: Competitors aren't enemies—they're allies. His firm regularly collaborates with other accounting professionals and has built a network of 500-1,000 freelance bookkeepers on LinkedIn, offering referral commissions and creating win-win partnerships.

He lives in the Greenville, South Carolina area with his wife (who works full-time during tax season) and is currently watching his daughter graduate high school while his two stepsons approach 30.

Connect with Matt: 🌐 ledgermedial.com

📱 Instagram/LinkedIn/Facebook/X: @ledgermedial

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Morgane Rose got made let go from her job twice in five months. When a dream job offer landed in her lap, everyone expected her to say yes. Instead, she felt crushing anxiety. Something was telling her: Don't do it.

So she didn't. She started her own business instead—even though she had no concrete plan.

That leap led her from personal development coaching to discovering a strategy most online entrepreneurs completely ignore: SEO-optimized blogging that converts while you sleep.

In this conversation, Morgane reveals:

The Social Media Burnout:

1. Why she'd rather clean her cat's litter box than post on Instagram (her words, not mine)
2. How the "consistent hamster wheel" of social media made her feel like everything would collapse if she stopped
3. Why she deactivated Instagram two weeks before this interview—and doesn't care if it never comes back

The Long Game Strategy:

1. How she got 16 pages ranking on page 1 of Google in just 6 months with a brand new domain
2. Why one blog post works harder than 100 Instagram reels (and lasts infinitely longer)
3. The three phases of awareness (problem unaware, solution aware, ready to buy)—and how ONE blog can reach all three

The AI-Proof Approach:

1. How to optimize blogs so ChatGPT and Claude recommend YOU when people ask for help
2. The local page strategy that works even if you serve clients worldwide
3. Why 800+ word blogs with depth, context, and semantic keywords beat generic AI-generated content every time

The Vet Story: Morgane optimized her local vet's website, then tested ChatGPT: "Can you recommend a good vet?" Not only did ChatGPT recommend her client—it analyzed why he was the BEST choice based on website optimization, service range, and local targeting. Then she revealed she was the one who did the work, and ChatGPT congratulated her.

The Bottom Line: If you're exhausted from creating content that disappears in 48 hours, this episode will change how you think about building your business. One well-optimized blog beats a month of social media posts. And it keeps working while you sleep.

Morgane's non-negotiable rule: No keyword stuffing, no surface-level fluff, no copy-paste AI content. Give Google (and AI) what they actually want: depth, expertise, stories, and your unique voice.

ABOUT MORGANe ROSE:

Morgane Rose is an SEO copywriter and website content strategist who helps online business owners get found on Google—without the social media hamster wheel. After two redundancies in five months and turning down a "perfect" job offer that felt completely wrong, Morgane launched her business in 2016, starting in personal development before pivoting to copywriting and SEO.

Fluent in both English and French, Morgane has self-published over 30 eBooks and specializes in creating evergreen content that compounds over time. Her approach combines strategic SEO optimization with authentic storytelling, helping clients rank on page 1 of Google while building trust with their ideal audience.

When she's not optimizing websites or testing AI search results, Morgane is probably NOT posting on Instagram (she deactivated it). Instead, she's creating long-form content that actually lasts.

Biz in a Box CRM is the ultimate all-in-one solution designed to simplify and scale your business. Imagine managing every aspect of your operations — from smart contact segmentation and automated follow-ups to call and text functionality, calendar booking, funnels, websites, and even social media scheduling — all from one intuitive platform. No more juggling multiple tools or paying for endless subscriptions. With built-in AI employee support, Biz in a Box CRM doesn’t just organize your business, it actively helps you run it. It’s like having a full-time team behind the scenes, so you can focus on growth, impact, and freedom.

Book your demo: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com/crm

Join the free Facebook Community! Connect, Learn, Grow, Build https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomentrepreneurcommunity

Johanna Godinez, founder of BAY Lifestyle (Beyond Asana Yoga), started her wellness journey in 2008 with a Yellow Pages directory and zero online presence. Today, she runs a globally recognized yoga teacher training school on three acres in Puerto Rico—complete with immersive retreats that attract students from Australia, France, Chile, and beyond.

But here's what makes Johanna's story different: She's never put her business in survival mode.

In this conversation, Johanna reveals:

The Hybrid Model That Works:

1. How she teaches yoga philosophy and theory online, then brings students to Puerto Rico for hands-on alignment training
2. Why community and physical presence still matter in the digital age
3. How she includes lodging and meals at competitive pricing (because she owns the space debt-free)

The Organic Growth Strategy:

1. Why she refused to take loans and instead saves profits from each training to fund the next expansion
2. Her rule: Don't quit your job until your business can actually support you (removing crushing pressure that kills most yoga studios)
3. Why 4 out of 5 yoga studios fail—and how she avoided that fate

Beyond Certification:

1. How she mentors students through business setup: LLCs, branding, pricing strategies, marketing
2. Why she helps graduates figure out if they want to teach at churches, schools, eldercare centers, or start their own studios
3. The mastermind component that most teacher trainings skip entirely

The Expansion Vision:

1. Building a floating wellness deck with sauna, cold plunge, hot tub, and chakra healing space
2. Growing from 10 to 20+ student capacity
3. How divine timing beats forced timelines every time

Johanna's philosophy? Have a vision, but keep the blinders off. The universe is smarter than your five-year plan.

Connect with Johanna: 📞 815-501-5070 🌐 baylifestyle.com 📱 Instagram: @baylifestylepr

This is your library of crowdsourced wisdom for building, launching, and scaling an online business.

What Makes This Podcast Different:

Every episode is titled with the KEY TAKEAWAY you can expect—not clickbait, not vague promises. Think of it like a reference library where you can jump straight to exactly what you need, when you need it.

Whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned pro looking to scale, you'll hear from entrepreneurs in the trenches with you—people solving real problems, building real businesses, and sharing what actually works.

Meet Your Hosts:

Lindsay Sutherland has been podcasting for 5 years and brings a unique blend of corporate experience and entrepreneurial grit. After 20 years in the automotive industry (where she jokes she got paid to earn an MBA), she discovered her zones of genius: marketing and sales.

When her father—a flooring contractor—passed away, Lindsay and her sister took over his business. That was her first real taste of entrepreneurship, and she was hooked.

Today, Lindsay runs her business from a log cabin in Northern Idaho on a 5-acre mini homestead with her husband, kids, sheep, and Muscovy ducks. Why Idaho? Because both her parents passed before retirement, and that shaped how she thinks about life: Live your dream lifestyle today, not someday.

Emily Tornatore is the operations extraordinaire and automation genius. With years of experience helping business owners streamline with systems, Emily spent nearly 20 years running her own massage business before transitioning into what she does now.

She operates from sunny Florida by the ocean (yes, mountains meet ocean in this partnership), and like Lindsay, she lost her father young—a shared experience that drives their mission to help entrepreneurs build businesses that support LIFE, not consume it.

What We Specialize In:

Helping you build monthly recurring revenue products that create scalable income—so you stop hustling month after month just to hit your numbers.

We interview entrepreneurs at every stage, extract the key lessons, and package them into titled episodes you can reference like a business library. No fluff. No filler. Just actionable insights from people who've been where you are.

What You'll Find Here:

✨ Real entrepreneurs sharing real experiences (not just highlight reels)

✨ Tactical advice you can implement immediately

✨ Stories of pivots, failures, and breakthroughs

✨ Strategies for building recurring revenue and scalable businesses

✨ Operations, marketing, sales, mindset, and everything in between

How We Can Help Beyond the Podcast:

If building recurring revenue excites you, book a free business consultation with us. No high-pressure sales. Just an honest exploration of what's possible for your business.

We promise: This is a strategy session, not a pitch-fest.

Join the Community:

Connect with us (and many of our guests) in the Freedom Online Business Builders Community on Facebook. It's where real connections happen and where you can ask questions, share wins, and get support from people who get it.

Subscribe now and start treating this podcast like the business reference library it's designed to be. Jump to what you need. Learn from people in the trenches. Build the business AND life you actually want.

Links:

📞 Free Business Consultation: https://bizinaboxsolutions.com

💬 Facebook Community: Freedom Online Business Builders

New episodes released regularly. Subscribe so you never miss a key takeaway.

Keywords: online business launch, recurring revenue, scalable business, entrepreneur interviews, business operations, marketing strategies, sales tactics, business growth, solopreneur, digital business