Unfiltered Entrepreneur by Ashli Pollard - Business Tips for Digital Service Based Founders and Agencies

How do you stand out in the now-overcrowded online space? Julia from “Smarter in a Sec” is a brand strategist, social media consultant, and content creator who has cracked the code on standing out: being yourself. In this interview, I dive into Julia's journey from a strategy consultant to a content creator and how she arrived at her unique content strategy of blending smart insights and product recommendations. Discover Julia’s tips on building a personal brand, the challenges and joys of creating content, and the importance of authenticity and vulnerability. Julia also shares practical advice on being loud about your accomplishments, balancing career and personal life, and the power of thought leadership. This ep is perfect for busy entrepreneurs juggling multiple responsibilities! ▶︎ Watch the Video Podcast Here! 00:00 — Welcome and Introduction 00:50 — Julia's Background and Journey 02:05 — Balancing Multiple Roles 03:20 — The Importance of Personal Branding 04:28 — Overcoming Fear and Building Confidence 05:58 — Creating Authentic Content 08:09 — Selling Your Services with Balance 11:59 — Setting Boundaries in Personal Branding 17:40 — Pricing and Value in Services 23:06 — Trends in Career Coaching 25:34 — The Power of Thought Leadership 31:48 — Curation Content and Audience Engagement 36:16 — Final Thoughts on Building a Following Resources: ✦ Julia’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/smarterinasec/ ✦ Julia’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@smarterinasec ✦ Julia’s Website: https://smarterinasec.com ✦ https://smarterinasec.substack.com/subscribe ✦ Julia’s Store: https://shopmy.us/smarterinasec ✦ Muna’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/mkedi.co/ ✦ Get Our Podcast List: https://teamap.consulting/podcast ----- Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) Subscribe to the Team AP Consulting YouTube Channel! And make sure you check out our FREE downloads page for even more incredible resources made specifically for you. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other phenomenal podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below

Let’s talk different pricing models. How do you know when to use the best model for you? How do you use hourly rates, project fees, or custom pricing? What is the reason behind using one or the other? In this, I am covering my insight as someone who has been involved in pricing for the past 15 years in a wide variety of sectors. From Dial Zero to Team AP to Me Time to Fast Forward, pricing has been everything in the way that I run my business and my employees and contractors. I’m giving you all my insights into the pricing strategies that have worked for me and why I think they work, what each of the pros and cons are of each model, and I also provide tips for setting prices confidently. Tune in to learn how to optimize your pricing strategy! 00:00 — Intro to Pricing 02:55 — Understanding Different Pricing Models 05:56 — Hourly Rates: Pros and Cons 07:01 — Flat Rate Pricing: When and How to Use It 07:38 — Custom Pricing: Tailoring to Client Needs 07:45 — Practical Examples and Case Studies 11:04 — Choosing the Right Pricing Model for Your Business 14:48 — Conclusion and Next Steps Resources: See my pricing at Team AP! ----- Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) Subscribe to the Team AP Consulting YouTube Channel! And make sure you check out our FREE downloads page for even more incredible resources made specifically for you. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other phenomenal podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below

We are putting our focus on managing lower-priced service offerings and avoiding the trap of over-delivering without adequate compensation. Have you been wondering how to structure your business offerings to avoid feeling resentment for working too hard for too little? I hear you. Trust me when I say I get just how important it is to price accurately, recognize when you're overworked and underpaid, and strategize on how you can please your clients without sacrificing yourself. You’ll walk away knowing how to set clear boundaries for your lower-priced services while still allowing your clients to grow through you. We’re here for this long haul, and these practical tips will definitely make you reexamine how you are pricing your services. 00:00 — Let’s Talk Pricing 03:05 — Over-Delivering on Lower Priced Services 04:22 — Questions to Assess Your Pricing Strategy 08:35 — The Importance of Matching Service to Payment 10:00 — Structuring Your Offers to Avoid Resentment 11:17 — Creating Tiered Service Experiences 12:20 — Tips to Reevaluate Your Pricing Structure 13:40 — Pricing The Experience of Working with You 16:27 — The Biggest Takeaway to Be in Service to the Client Resources: Join the Doers Broadcast Channel Maxime Hue’s Work ----- Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) Subscribe to the Team AP Consulting YouTube Channel! And make sure you check out our FREE downloads page for even more incredible resources made specifically for you. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other phenomenal podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below

I get it. Pricing your services is TOUGH. When I had to price my offers with Team AP Consulting Dial Zero Marketing, I had to figure out what was right for me. So how do you figure that out for yourself? The key is brand presence, market research, client expectations, and the overall ecosystem of your sales. We need to balance not underpricing or overpricing services, and I give you my iconic steakhouse vs. Applebee’s metaphor to help clarify this point in the episode. If you’ve been struggling with finding the price that’s just right for your business to be profitable, this episode will help you figure out what your next steps are. Let’s get those sales figures up! 00:00 — The Importance of Pricing in Business 01:42 — Understanding Your Pricing Ecosystem 02:14 — Real-Life Examples of Pricing Strategies 03:40 — Being Confident in Your Pricing 08:05 — Creating Value and Chatter with Your Pricing 11:58 — The Steakhouse vs. Applebee's Pricing Analogy 17:40 — What You MUST Know About Pricing 20:19 — Final Thoughts on Pricing Strategies Resources: Listen to Unfiltered Entrepreneur “Pockets, Budgets, and Banks” ----- Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) Subscribe to the Team AP Consulting YouTube Channel! And make sure you check out our FREE downloads page for even more incredible resources made specifically for you. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other phenomenal podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below

I am BACK! I’ve returned to share valuable tips for those of you in your first year of business. We’re touching on the importance of foundational tasks such as getting contracts and hiring an accountant early. Seriously. Having basic branding, time-blocking for different business functions, and building a supportive community is EVERYTHING in that first year. If you’ve been looking for practical steps to navigate your new business or wanting to return to the basics for your current business, this episode is gonna give you actionable advice to help you build a strong start in your entrepreneurial journey. 00:00 — Welcome Back to The Unfiltered Entrepreneur 02:40 — Reflecting on the Early Days of Business 05:32 — The Importance of Contracts and Legalities 08:11 — Branding Basics for New Entrepreneurs 09:47 — Time Management and Scheduling Tips 10:50 — Building a Supportive Community 12:02 — Setting Realistic Goals and Handling Rejection 13:43 — Final Tips and Encouragement Resources: Join The Doers! ------ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) Subscribe to the Team AP Consulting YouTube Channel! And make sure you check out our FREE downloads page for even more incredible resources made specifically for you. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other phenomenal podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below

Major news and also HI I MISS YOU SO MUCH

Sometimes being a business owner is a realllllll gut punch.

Also big news at the end 💪🏽

What is the state of entrepreneurship today? Jessica Freeman, founder of Jess Creatives, took a survey of 200 business owners and came up with some surprising insights. This groundbreaking study sheds light on various aspects such as email marketing effectiveness, the use of CRM and project management tools, the prevalence of solopreneurship, revenue realities, and the degree of team support in small businesses. With insights derived from analyzing dozens of responses, we get into what surprised us most and what we analyze as the actual state of online entrepreneurship, the challenges of scalability vs. client acquisition, and the stark differences between perceived financial success and the reality for most entrepreneurs. Trust us, this data is going to leave you with more knowledge of what others are doing right and what everyone could improve on. ▶︎ Watch the Video Podcast Here! 00:00 — Introducing Jess Creatives 02:17 — Collecting the Data 07:58 — Business Trends 14:36 — The Type & Size of Business 18:26 — Revenue 22:42 — Website Hosting & Platforms 25:01 — Email Marketing 29:30 — Task Management Software & Most Used Platforms 34:55 — Top Lead Source 37:30 — Email Marketing 44:23 — Longterm Goals 47:00 — Major Takeaways & Analysis Resources: ✦ Jess Creatives Blog “From Revenue to Tools: What 200 Business Owners Have to Say About Running a Business in 2024” ✦ Jess Creatives Website ✦ Jess Creative YouTube @JessCreatives818 ✦ Jess’s IG _____ Into it? Subscribe/Follow/Rate the podcast wherever you are listening (from one entrepreneur to another, we know how important this is right?!) Subscribe to the Team AP Consulting YouTube Channel! And make sure you check out our FREE downloads page for even more incredible resources made specifically for you. Follow us on IG here! And check out all the other phenomenal podcasts from Fast Forward Productions right here. Get more from Ashli over on this side and leave your listener voicemails at the link below