The Content Experiment Podcast

Business ownership is a journey, one with loads of learning lessons along the way. Sometimes we learn those lessons the first time; other times we need a reminder. I've certainly needed a reminder of some of my small (and big) lessons. Four years ago, I wrote a blog post about the 10 lessons I learned in my first three years of business ownership (link to the post is below). Fast forward to now and so many of those lessons still ring true. Of course, I've also learned some new gems that I'd love to pass along to you--so you don't have to learn the hard way! In this episode, I'm sharing about walking away, paying yourself, comparisonitis, making connections, investing in yourself and your business and more. I hope that the ideas and lessons resonate with you! And if they do, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Share your biggest takeaways on social media and tag me--or leave a rating and review. Let's face it: We're learning something new every day--about ourselves, our habits, our audiences and our industries. Are you with me? Mentioned in This Episode 10 Things I've Learned in 3 Years of Business Episode 37: Top Visibility Investments for Your Business Are you ready to learn more about content strategy so you can grow your visibility and your business? Check out my FREE Content Strategy Clarity challenge today. It's a four-video series you can complete entirely on your own time. Simply enter your name and email address below and you're automatically enrolled!

To grow a business, you need to trust yourself. And the fact that you don't, according to this week's guest, is what's holding you back. I have to agree with her. I invited Sarah Walton, speaker and business mentor, to be on the Stories in Small Business podcast because she's such an inspiration to me and other business owners because of her no-nonsense style and her compassion. We're talking about why trusting yourself is THE thing that will help you succeed in business, what to do about business copycats, why women are conditioned to give away our expertise for free (and how to stop it already) and how to put yourself in the right mindset to grow your business on your terms. I love how she talks about shifts and growth too and how the first iteration of anything you do is going to be crap (especially as you look back on it later) and how she talks about responding to people who question your pricing. Join us for this inspiring and motivating conversation! Mentioned in This Episode Adam Grant TED Talk - The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers Game On Girlfriend Episode 17: What the Heck is Content and Why is it "King"? Stories That Stick by Kendra Hall Sarah's Grocery Store Story You Can Always Control How You Respond worksheet About Sarah Walton As a "woman in the city" in New York, Sarah wanted more. She quit her job and turned her talents, business acumen and secret desire to be a stand up comic into a business for women. That was 10 years ago. She's now been featured on The Today Show, Buzzfeed magazine and The Huffington Post for her work helping women launch businesses they LOVE. She's designed online courses, a 1:1 mentorship program, live events and her podcast, Game On, Girlfriend. As a self-confessed personal development junky, Sarah has been studying the science behind happiness, productivity and success for over 15 years. She's become the go-to source of inspiration, no-nonsense training and practical integration for women in business. You can follow Sarah on Instagram or Facebook or visit her website. If you're looking for help and support around your own content strategy, join the FREE Content Strategy Clarity challenge!

Downtime happens in every business. You plan a vacation or the holidays come around, you intentionally take some time away from your regular schedule. But other times, we can't control the downtime. Something happens beyond our control and our businesses are impacted in a big way. So how do you use that downtime to your advantage, rather than getting sucked into the rabbit hole of social media and depression? It's not easy. This week on the Stories in Small Business podcast I'm sharing seven things you can do with downtime in your business to help you make sure you're coming out the other side in a good place--financially and professionally, not to mention emotionally. Few things will make you feel worse than sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. I know. I've been there. So use this time to really take action so you still have a business when this downtime--no matter when it's happening or why--is over. The biggest thing is you need to keep moving forward. Keep taking action every week, no matter how small that action is. You need the visibility and forward momentum in your projects and your relationships as you dig your way out of the downtime and back into business as usual. Mentioned in This Episode Episode 19: Yes, You CAN Take Downtime Episode 36: How to Pitch a Podcast Content Mastery Lab If you're ready to get started in creating the right content for your business but don't know where to start, join my free challenge, Content Strategy Clarity. You'll learn the four things you need to do in order to get ready to develop your content strategy. Because you can't just throw spaghetti on the wall. You need to be strategic if you want to save time and money. Sign up below or click here for instant access.

Does strategy feel stifling to you? Rigid? Corporate? You're not alone. However, creating a true strategic plan for your business can actually help you create more freedom so you can grow in ways that you never thought possible. That's because a strategic plan can give you the focus you need to double down on projects and action plans so you can move farther, faster. This is the groundwork for the conversation I'm having this week on the Stories in Small Business podcast. Kristen Westcott, a certified director of operations for coaches and course creators, joins me and sets the record straight about why planning isn't constraining and what components need to be in every strategic plan. We also discuss niching down and how only working with course creators and coaches has helped Kristen grow a thriving business that suits her lifestyle. Mentioned in This Episode Roadmap for Business Growth About Kristen Westcott Kristen Westcott is the founder and CEO of Kristen Westcott Media and has been helping others with goal setting, time management/productivity and project management for over a decade – in the legal field, education sector and as an entrepreneur. Her goal is to help entrepreneurs free up time to focus on the right things, so they don't burn out. She does this through strategic planning, project management and managing business operations. You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Running a business isn't free; it takes products, services and resources. But what should you invest in, and when? How much is it going to cost you? These are fair questions, and there's a different answer depending on what kind of business you're in and how long you've had your doors open. This week on the Stories in Small Business podcast, I'm sharing my thoughts on some of the most important investments a business should make--and I'm also sharing how much I spend on each of these investments every month or year. Some of the investment ideas have free options, and one in particular I specifically recommend you stay away from that free option, because it's doing you no favors. Listen through to the end for a bonus investment that won't cost you a dime and that everyone needs to take a part in! Mentioned in This Episode ActiveCampaign Canva Deposit Photos CoSchedule Tailwind MemberVault IMPACT Circle Membership Speaker Strategy Academy BizChix Six Figures Lab Content Mastery Lab

If you're reading this right now, chances are you love a good podcast. I do too. And if you're not interested in starting your own podcast, I want you to know how valuable it is to be a guest on a podcast. You can get in front of so many more people by being a guest than you ever could on your own. And that's why podcast guesting needs to be part of your content strategy. It's a way to talk to new people, tell your story in a different way and really impact others. However, if you're going to be on others' podcasts, you need to learn how to pitch yourself so the host will say yes. Leading with value is vital when you're creating content for your audience, but value isn't limited to what you're putting out there on the world wide web. You also need to lead with value (very specific value) when pitching to be on a podcast. This week on the Stories in Small Business podcast, I'm talking with Angie Trueblood, a podcast visibility expert, about how to put yourself out there by pitching podcasts, how to determine which podcasts are a good fit for you, how to repurpose your own podcast interviews, how to leverage relationships to get on podcasts and what your pitches should look like--plus a whole lot more. Listen in now and start getting more visibility for your business right now! Mentioned in This Episode Go Pitch Yourself podcast Elevate Your Visibility Without a Formal Pitch Go Pitch Yourself Roadmap Content Mastery Lab About Angie Trueblood As a podcast visibility expert and host of the Go Pitch Yourself podcast, Angie Trueblood knows that the only "perfect pitch" is the one that leads with value and focuses on building a genuine connection. Whether she is teaching entrepreneurs how to pitch themselves or working behind the scenes to secure opportunities for others, Angie leverages her super-connector powers to grow businesses and build long-lasting relationships. When she's not working with her clients or being active in her local community, she loves exploring Richmond, Virginia's parks and playgrounds with her two kiddos, checking out new restaurants with her hubs, and laughing about motherhood over cocktails with friends.

There are so many ways to elevate your visibility, but one strategy alone isn't going to get you much traction. Instead, you need to use multiple tools and strategies in your business, regularly, to continue to get you and your business noticed. But that's often where business owners hit pause. They don't want to put themselves out there because they're afraid of what others will think or say. They don't like how they look on camera or they think they're a bad writer. It's time to get out of your own way and get on the right track to business success. No one will know you're there or what you can do for them unless you start getting more visible online. In this week's episode of the Stories in Small Business podcast, I'm sharing eight ways you can elevate your online visibility so you can be the first person your audience thinks of when they need your products or services. Mentioned in This Episode Content Strategy Clarity challenge How to Put Yourself Out There (with content) Why Email Marketing is More Important Than Social Media Getting Over the Mindset Block Around Video with Holly Gillen Using In-Person Events to Connect and Grow with Robin Walker Why You Need a Book to Market Your Business with Jodi Brandon How to Build Your Social Strategy with Andrea Jones Getting Your Content Noticed Through SEO with Meg Casebolt The Role of Email in Your Content Strategy Speaking Your Story with Jessica Rasdall

Speaking can help you connect with new audiences, demonstrate your expertise and develop a new way to deliver your message. But speaking does not have to look like you standing on a stage in front of a big audience. (You're welcome.) This week on the Stories in Small Business podcast, Jessica Rasdall is sharing her tips on using speaking to grow your audience and your business. You'll learn how to leverage opportunities to benefit your audience and your own business. She shares how to decide which speaking events are best for you, what type of speaking you should do based on where you are in business now and how to use speaking to grow your email list and your revenue. This is such an important conversation to have when you're trying to think outside of the box to market your business. In fact, she shares how she transitioned her business from getting paid to speak about her own story to training other business owners to become powerful speakers. About Jessica Rasdall Jessica Rasdall is a Motivational Speaker, Best Selling Author, Public Speaking Strategist and the host of The Speak to Scale Podcast. She partners with small business owners to craft stories and presentations that connect with their audience and convert from the stage. Jessica has shared her story of turning her "mess into a message" for nearly fourteen years and has been featured on major international media outlets such as ABC's 20/20, Katie Couric, The Guardian, MTV, Netflix and much more. Follow her on Instagram. Mentioned in This Episode Speak to Scale Podcast Does Speaking Fit into Your Marketing Quiz The Speaking Strategy Academy How to Create a Content Strategy for Public Speaking

Chances are you've heard about how important email is to your content and marketing strategy. Maybe you even send regular emails to your audience or have a welcome sequence for new subscribers. That's one step in the right direction but there's so much more you can do with your emails. On this week's episode of the Stories in Small Business podcast, I'm sharing five big ways email marketing can boost your content strategy and your connection with your audience. I'll give you some really specific examples of how you can take your email list to the next level, providing more support and staying top-of-mind with your subscribers Tune in now! Mentioned in This Episode Episode 14: Why Email Marketing is More Important Than Social Media ActiveCampaign MemberVault

Do you ever feel like you're creating content--but not getting any traction from it at all? Or maybe the old blog posts and videos you've created just aren't getting the views that they once did. Chances are, it's because you're not using SEO, search engine optimization, to your advantage. It's time to get your content noticed through SEO. This week on the Stories in Small Business podcast, I'm talking with Meg Casebolt of Love at First Search about what SEO looks like for small business owners and how to create content that people are actually searching for. Not only that, but she shares with us how to know what words people are looking for when it comes to online search. (Here's a tip: It's not that super-creative yet random title you created for yourself.) Meg is ridiculously smart when it comes to search traffic, Google Analytics and all things SEO. She's sharing some free tips and tricks you can use to improve your SEO right now, tells us how to repurpose content that we're getting found for right now (even if we no longer want to get found for that content) and how to truly get your content working for you. Tune in now and get access to Meg's free SEO Starter Kit! Mentioned in This Episode Free SEO Starter Kit Free Content Strategy Clarity challenge About Meg Casebolt Meg Casebolt is an SEO specialist, digital strategist and founder of Love at First Search. She helps female entrepreneurs succeed online by helping them get found on Google then turning readers into customers, all by using custom strategies that fit them better than Catwoman's suit (without the wedgie).