The Boss Mom Podcast

As entrepreneurs, we’ve been tricked into believing that a successful brand is all about having the perfect strategy or the best marketing techniques. So we work tirelessly, pouring their heart and soul into our businesses, only to feel disconnected, overwhelmed and burned out on marketing. Have you ever wondered why, despite your hard work, your business isn’t growing as you hoped? The reality is that nurturing genuine connections and creating a loyal community takes more than just effort—it requires a deep understanding of your audience and a commitment to authenticity. In this episode, I share my journey of building a strong and connected community over the past decade. I reveal the proven ways that have helped me foster a sense of belonging among my followers and also talk about the mistakes I made along the way. "You can’t help everybody, sometimes the people that need you the most don’t have the bandwidth to do and implement what you want to teach them. You can’t build a profitable business on the people that need you the most." -Dana Malstaff 3 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode -Separate Yourself from Your Content If you don’t take your content too personally, you won't be afraid to share your ideas and connect with others. How do you create a separation between your content and your identity? -Help Those Who Are Ready We want to help the people who need us the most but you can’t build a business on people in survival mode. Who should we focus on instead? -Share a Common Goal When people believe in the same goal, they work better together. How do you tap into what you and your community want to change in the world?  

Most people think profit is all about money. They work tirelessly, sacrificing their time, energy, and well-being, only to find themselves burnt out and unfulfilled. Society has conditioned us to believe that just having enough is acceptable, but this mindset keeps us trapped in survival mode. Have you ever asked yourself why you never seem to have enough time, energy, or emotional freedom? The truth is, you’re probably stuck in a cycle of just getting by. You might think, “If I just work a little harder, I’ll achieve financial freedom.” But even with more money, the exhaustion and emotional drain continue. It feels like there’s no way out. In this episode, Heather Chauvin returns. As a business owner who defines profit in a way that goes beyond just financial gains, she shares how to align your actions with your desires and truly thrive.   “Profit is not just about money but it's about time freedom and emotional freedom.” -Heather Chauvin   3 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode   -Profit Is More Than Just Money Profit isn't just about making money but it also means having more time and feeling good. Have you ever thought about how having more time and energy can make you feel richer? -Stop Just Getting By Many people think they only deserve just enough to get by, but this keeps them stuck and tired. What if you could feel happy and have more than just enough? -Match Your Actions With What You Want To really change, you need to do things that match what you want in life. Can small daily actions really make a big difference in your happiness and success? Guest Bio Heather Chauvin is a leadership coach who helps ‘successful’ women courageously and authentically live, work, and parent on their own terms. Heather started her career as a social worker helping adults understand children’s behavior. But it wasn’t until 2013 when a stage 4 cancer diagnosis pushed her to take a deeper stand for change, uncovering how cultural expectations sabotage our dreams. She has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Real Simple Magazine, Mind Body Green, Google, and more. When Heather isn’t working, you will find her living out what she teaches which may include kayaking Alaska, snowboarding, hiking, or anything else that challenges what she believes is possible for herself (and inviting her children along the journey). Life is full of opportunities. It’s time to feel alive.  Listen to her podcast at https://www.heatherchauvin.com/podcast. For free tools & resources from Heather, visit https://heatherchauvin.com/freegifts. Follow Heather Chauvin on Instagram: @heatherchauvin_  

Being a mom is hard, and sometimes it feels like nobody understands. We see perfect moms in books and movies, but real life isn't like that. This makes moms feel even more stressed and lonely. We try to do everything and be perfect, but it’s exhausting. It’s easy to feel like we’re not good enough. Real-life moms are not perfect, and that's okay. We need to support each other and find help when we need it. We need to remember that every mom is doing her best. Books and real-life experiences help us understand what being a mom is all about. In real life, we learn from our own moms and the people around us. What role do books play in helping moms feel seen and understood in their struggles? In this episode, I talk with Carrie Mullins, a mom and writer who wrote a book called The Book of Mothers: How Literature Can Help Us Reinvent Modern Motherhood. We discuss timeless tales, what they mean for real moms today, and how we can be kinder to ourselves and find support from others. It's not just that moms get mad, but good moms get mad too. The recent adaptation of Little Women surprised people with a good mom getting angry, showing we haven't really made that connection yet. -Carrie Mullins 3 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode -Books Shape Ideas Stories in books help shape how we see moms. These ideas can stick with us for a long time. What lessons about motherhood can we learn from our favorite books? -Finding the Balance Moms often feel torn between what they think they should be and what they really are. How can moms find a balance between their own expectations and reality? -Support is Key Understanding how tough being a mom can be helps us support each other better. What are some ways we can offer more support to the moms in our lives? Guest Bio Carrie Mullins is a writer and mother of two whose work has appeared in publications such as Parents, Food and Wine, Scary Mommy, and Lit Hub. She is the author of The Book of Mothers: How Literature Can Help Us Reinvent Modern Motherhood, an exploration of fifteen classic novels and how they have shaped our cultural understanding of motherhood. She is always on the lookout for nuanced, inclusive, and realistic conversations around parenting--and a good book. Go to https://www.carriemullins.com/the-book-of-mothers.html for more information.   

A lot of marketing strategies today feel cold and don't work well. This makes it hard for busy moms to connect with their audience while taking care of their families. What if there’s a way to market that not only helps you build real relationships but also helps your business grow? Many traditional marketing methods leave moms feeling tired and disconnected, making it tough to manage both work and family. How can you create a business that really connects with people and lasts a long time? In this episode, I'm interviewed by Krista Lockwood and we talk all about how important it is to build relationships and create a community-focused business. "Nurture marketing is the idea of cultivating a relationship over time with people you don't know." - Dana Malstaff   3 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode   -Nurture MessagingBuild relationships by making your audience feel noticed and important. What can your business gain from taking care of your audience? -Results MessagingTo build trust, show your results and prove you're good at what you do. What can you do to increase the trust of your audience? -Conversion MessagingGet people to take action by solving their problems. How can learning to do this well help you sell more and get more people interested?  

Life is cyclical and seasonal, but adapting to these cycles can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling life. Many moms put a lot of energy into trying to maintain control, only to end up overwhelmed and out of sync. The truth is, being in control shouldn’t be our ultimate goal. Embracing the ebbs and flows of life should. We all deal with life's complexities and a rollercoaster of emotions. Striving for constant control can be exhausting. What does it mean to truly let go and embrace life as it comes? In this episode, I talk about dealing with life's chaotic moments and managing the challenges of being a mom and an entrepreneur. “Every single human being has an ebb and flow with times in their lives that are slow, calm, and peaceful, and then sometimes people get antsy.”  -Dana Malstaff 3 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode -Embracing the Ebb and FlowLife has its ups and downs. How can you come to terms with not always feeling in control and find peace in the chaos? -Dealing with OverwhelmWhen juggling multiple responsibilities, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. What strategies can you use to manage the feeling of being out of control? -Redefining SuccessSuccess isn't about always feeling in control. How can you learn to accept the ebb and flow as a normal part of life and business?  

Summer is fun but let’s be real, it can also turn our usual routines upside down—especially for us Boss Moms balancing our businesses with family life. It’s super important to understand that our lives change with the seasons. There are ways to keep your business moving forward during the summer, all while making sure you still have loads of family time. How can we, as moms, plan our work around these ups and downs? In today’s episode, I share my take on seasonal shifts, my own stories, and tips on how to make the most of them. ”I have to be serious about what I can and can't do during the summer and I have to plan ahead for it.” -Dana Malstaff 3 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode -Rolling with the seasonsSeasons affect our mood and schedule. What can you do to keep up with business when life gets busy or slows down with the kids?  -Getting ready for summerSummer is fun but can throw your routine for a loop. What are some easy ways to plan ahead and get your business ready for the chaos of summer?  -Keeping things movingLife doesn’t pause just because it’s summer. How can you tweak your work tasks so they fit better with your summer lifestyle?  

While many people think being online all the time is the best way to grow your business, there’s a reason why the old-school way of meeting people face-to-face can be even better. Moms can use networking to make strong connections that really help their business, without making life more stressful. Even with your busy schedule, where can you find the right people to support your goals? Does networking really lead to more meaningful business growth? In today’s episode, I talk about why meeting people and making friends can help moms grow their businesses better than just using social media. Networking is about connecting with a series of people who would be a good fit for some aspect of YOU in your life or your business. -Dana Malstaff  3 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode   -The real value of networking What makes networking so effective at providing more support and growth opportunities compared to just being on social media?   -Making networking work for you Without feeling overwhelmed, how can you network effectively?   -The strategic approach to networking Make friends who really get what you're about and help your business grow. What are some easy ways to connect with the right people?  

Since 2015, we have built our Facebook group into a thriving 75k member community. This year, I decided to shut it down.   Walking away from something that’s “doing well” is scary, but if it’s not lighting us up, it’s the right thing to do.   The Facebook group was working - even growing, but the truth is: I had started to resent it. I didn’t fall out of love with building community. I fell out of love with doing it on someone else’s terms.   So, the BossMom+ app was born! We aren’t just building a village, we’re building a city where moms can grow their businesses without social media.   When did I know it was time to walk away from Facebook? Why did I choose to build something totally different? In this episode, I share why we left our Facebook group and what we’re doing instead.    We need to feel empowered to make changes and not worry about what people think, because there’s no way to make everyone happy. -Dana Malstaff   3 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode   -Community without social media Building community is what I love and what I’m known for. Why did I decide to shut down a Facebook group that was doing well   -You can’t make everyone happy Not everyone will like the changes we make to our businesses. How do we handle the resistance and pushback? How will the right people react?   -Go all in on what lights you up How did going to the movies turn into the defining moment that made me decide to close down the Boss Mom Facebook group?  

As entrepreneurs, we pour ourselves into building these amazing businesses, the last thing we’d ever consider is shutting them down, especially when they’re doing well. Why would we choose to walk away from something that’s actually working?   Well…that’s where Krista Lockwood found herself. After building a 6 figure business over the last 5 years, she has decided to sell it and move on.   Our kids change as they grow, and so do we. What lit us up before might not be right for us now, and that’s okay.   How did Krista make this huge decision? How do we deal with the guilt and uncertainty that comes with making a big move?   In this episode, founder of Motherhood Simplified, Krista Lockwood returns to talk about the new chapter in her journey, walking away from a perfectly good business and why it’s important to align your career moves with your current life phase.   Your business deserves to be loved as opposed to being run by somebody who just isn’t excited about it anymore. -Dana Malstaff   3 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode   -How to know it’s time to pivot Most people would rather stick with a successful business even if it’s no longer making them happy. How do we know it's time to stop doing something even if it's going well?   -Stop feeling guilty about change Why is it important to make sure your work fits with your family life? How can you handle changes without feeling guilty or worried?   -How to avoid the temptation to keep scaling How do we check in with ourselves so that we can move on from the business before we start neglecting the community we’ve built?    Guest Bio Krista Lockwood, the founder of Motherhood Simplified, is a mom who has successfully decluttered her entire home. She doesn’t teach decluttering in theory. Instead, she shares practical tips and strategies that have worked for thousands of other moms. Krista’s approach is grounded in her own experiences, ensuring that she never asks you to do something in your home that she hasn’t done herself. Her mission is to help moms find the sweet spot of having enough but not too much, allowing them to feel less stressed in their homes. Through her platform, Motherhood Simplified, Krista provides resources, guidance, and community support for simplifying the journey of motherhood. Check out the Motherhood Simplified Website at https://motherhoodsimplified.com/ and listen to the podcast episodes at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motherhood-simplified/id1439617120  Follow Krista on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/motherhood_simplified/)   

Today’s rules of marketing force us in one direction: be everywhere, all the time, non-stop.   It’s all about more content, more entertainment, and of course - more virality. Here’s the problem for moms: this isn’t a sustainable version of marketing. It’s exhausting, guilt-inducing and unrealistic. Our life requirements don’t align with being online all the time, and we shouldn’t have to play by those rules to succeed.   No matter what: our children will always be the dominant priority in our lives. Why not set up our business with this in mind, instead of forcing ourselves to market the way everyone else does? Can we do marketing on our own terms and still have success?   We want to live in a world where moms don’t have to say yes to ridiculous unsustainable ways of marketing, starting now. In this episode, I talk about why moms can’t run their businesses the way everyone else does, and how to succeed on our own terms.   The rules of business and marketing aren’t realistic or sustainable for moms. We need to stop forcing ourselves to be successful in the same way as people who don't have our life requirements. -Dana Malstaff    3 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode   -How to create a legacy of loving what we do Our kids soak up everything we do. If running our businesses leaves us feeling guilty, drained, sad and unsuccessful, that’s what they’ll believe about work. How do we change that?   -Experts vs. content creators It often feels like if we’re not pointing, dancing or entertaining, we aren’t marketing. Could this viral, content creator approach actually be detrimental? Is there a better way?   -Productivity isn’t just about time Taking advice from people who don’t understand our lives is dangerous. How do we see time management, boundaries and priorities from our perspective as moms?