There are approximately 9 billion things to consider when you put your message out into the world. What the heck should you say? Which words should you use? Which persona should you play? Does everything have to be so dang dramatic/traumatic? What if folks don't like what you have to say? This week, Annie P. is joined by storytelling expert Seth Erickson. In this jam-packed episode, they discuss why so many marketing campaigns and memoirs miss the mark, the critical importance of emotion, and the role we play as mentors. Are you an Obi-Wan, a Yoda, or a Skywalker? *Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language. Download the 1st chapter of Seth's brand new book, "How to Hack Humans," right here before it comes out this Friday, October 15th. Connect with Seth through his LinkedIn and Instagram. Tired of feeling sleazy when you sell - or avoiding "the ask" altogether? Annie P.'s free masterclass is for you.  For full show notes and more visit www.toolegitimatetoquit.com Extra Credit: Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! New episodes drop every Monday. Reviews and ratings really help our little show grow, so thank you for the boost!

If you want to have a thriving small business (not to mention be a good human) in 2021, things like "diversity" and "equity" can't just be buzzwords. They must be chosen, advocated for, and practiced daily. But, how can we go beyond lip service and bring our values into our company culture - even if we aren't hiring and our company culture is just our own attitude? This week, Annie P. is joined by Melissa Marcelissen, a Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Strategist, specializing in Inclusive Leadership Development. She shares about how to make our tiny empires more inclusive and benevolent while addressing our own privilege and blind spots.  Then, they unpack the magic recipe that turns individual voices into killer groups, Pitch Perfect style! *Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language. Connect with Melissa through her website, Instagram and LinkedIn! Join Melissa's Lead Up! community here. Tired of feeling sleazy when you sell - or avoiding "the ask" altogether? Annie P.'s free masterclass is for you.  For full show notes and more visit www.toolegitimatetoquit.com Extra Credit: Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! New episodes drop every Monday. Reviews and ratings really help our little show grow, so thank you for the boost!

What's more important - the plan or the action? When is a rock-solid strategy essential and when is it just a distraction? And how can we rise up against the constant looming threats of perfectionism, procrastination, and doubt? This week, Annie P. is joined by her longtime coach, collaborator & champion, Coach Jennie. She specializes in helping impatiently ambitious people figure out how to stop squandering their potential so they can get on with the business of changing the world. Together, they define critical terms like "Infocrack" and "Hilda fits" before diving into the entrepreneurial efforts of Walter White, Jesse Pinkman, and Breaking Bad. *Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language. Connect with Coach Jennie through her website, Instagram and YouTube. And don't forget to check out her fabulous book, Hilda. Tired of feeling sleazy when you sell - or avoiding "the ask" altogether? Annie P.'s free masterclass is for you.  For full show notes and more visit www.toolegitimatetoquit.com Extra Credit: Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! New episodes drop every Monday. Reviews and ratings really help our little show grow, so thank you for the boost!

Is your business kind enough? Is your marketing loud and bold enough? According to superstar author and business giant Mike Michalowicz, these two questions likely have the same answer. It's phenomenally easy to fall into the trap of dimming your light, hiding from your prospects, or going along with the herd. How can a heart-centered business truly stand out - and profit! - in authentic, proud, valuable ways? This week, Annie P. has the great pleasure of interviewing one of her heroes. Mike Michalowicz is a force in the entrepreneurial world and author of some of the best books on the market including Profit First, The Pumpkin Plan, and Clockwork. In this interview, he drops gem after hilarious gem for underdogs out there trying to make a difference and carve a legacy simultaneously. *Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language. Connect with Mike through his Facebook and YouTube. His brand new book, Get Different, debuts this week!  Tired of feeling sleazy when you sell - or avoiding "the ask" altogether? Annie P.'s free masterclass is for you.  For full show notes and more visit www.toolegitimatetoquit.com Extra Credit: Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! New episodes drop every Monday. Reviews and ratings really help our little show grow, so thank you for the boost!

How do you view yourself within your business? Are you a small business owner, a founder, a CEO? And how do you claim your business? Is it your purpose, your vision, your livelihood, or just your job? The terms may not vary all that much on paper but they certainly feel different. So often, we downplay our efforts (and our place in our industries) until things are absolutely perfect. But - that perfection is a glossy myth. How can we compete in a filtered world as our real selves? This week, Annie P. is joined by the fabulous Liz Theresa of Liz on Biz. Liz is a copy-pro, website creator, and coach who reminds us that a big break isn't something you wait for - it's something you make. Then, she and Annie dish about Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, and the phenomenon known as Friends. *Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language. Connect with Liz through her Instagram and LinkedIn. Her free training is available at freecopyvideo.com. Don't forget to check out her podcast, Liz on Biz! Tired of feeling sleazy when you sell - or avoiding "the ask" altogether? Annie P.'s free masterclass is for you.  For full show notes and more visit www.toolegitimatetoquit.com Extra Credit: Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! New episodes drop every Monday. Reviews and ratings really help our little show grow, so thank you for the boost!

What makes your business truly magical? How can you grab and keep the rapt attention of your prospects? And is it manipulative to do so? This week, Annie P. is joined by mentalist, speaker, and "the greatest thought-leader of all time," Jonathan Pritchard. Jonathan explains why people so seldom own their excellence - even while in active pursuit of it - and cautions us about the damage done by confusion before diving into lessons learned from the martial arts classic, Enter The Dragon. *Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language. Connect with Jonathan through his website, business and LinkedIn. Check out his book at www.ThinkLikeAMindReader.com Tired of feeling sleazy when you sell - or avoiding "the ask" altogether? Annie P.'s free masterclass is for you.  For full show notes and more visit www.toolegitimatetoquit.com Extra Credit: Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! New episodes drop every Monday. Reviews and ratings really help our little show grow, so thank you for the boost!

Is "Relationship Marketing" a quantity or quality game? What's more important - leaving a lasting 1st impression or keeping in touch? And how can we stand out in crowded markets - even if we're introverts, camera-shy, or behind-the-scenes-types? This week, Annie P. is joined by her dear friend Nikki Nash, author of Market Your Genius (available 8/24 all over the dang place), podcast host, and brilliant marketer. Nikki has a knack for uncovering the best and most unique aspects of brains and brands and gives her tips on how to explode a business that is 100% Obviously You. Then, she fulfills Annie P.'s lifelong fantasy by giving her a reason to gush about Dame Angela Lansbury "on a work thing." Download the scripts for this week's homework here. *Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language. Connect with Nikki through her website and Instagram. And don't forget to check out her wonderful book, Market Your Genius which launches tomorrow, 8/24/21! Tired of feeling sleazy when you sell - or avoiding "the ask" altogether? Annie P.'s free masterclass is for you.  For full show notes and more visit www.toolegitimatetoquit.com Extra Credit: Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! New episodes drop every Monday. Reviews and ratings really help our little show grow, so thank you for the boost!

What are your goals for the rest of 2021? What wins would you love to usher in by New Year's Eve? How have your goals shifted thanks to everything we've collectively been through in the last 18 months? This week, Annie P. is joined by the fabulous Debra Eckerling, award-winning author of "Your Goal Guide."  Debra walks Annie through The DEB Method - her strategy for identifying meaningful goals, clearing away the junk that stands in your way, and bringing them into being. Far from your average "goal-person," Debra drops gem after gem in this episode before taking a song-filled deep-dive into the world of Cage & Fish and their favorite attorney, Ally McBeal. *Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language. Connect with Debra through her website and Instagram. And don't forget to check out her wonderful book, Your Goal Guide and her Write On community. Feeling musically motivated? Give a listen to Debra's cousin JP Saxe's "theme song of the now," If The World Was Ending. And when you're ready to write your own theme song, head over to PowerSongs.ca! Tired of feeling sleazy when you sell - or avoiding "the ask" altogether? Annie P.'s free masterclass is for you.  For full show notes and more visit www.toolegitimatetoquit.com Extra Credit: Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! New episodes drop every Monday. Reviews and ratings really help our little show grow, so thank you for the boost!

What the heck does intentionality actually look like? How do you know if you're showing up in a way that fulfills all the labels you've put on yourself? And how can we cut through the noise and connect with our clients, colleagues, and prospects in a way that fosters truth, connection, and joy? This week, Annie P. is rendered speechless by bold, warm, and brilliant Chantelle Andercastle. A business strategist and web designer, Chantelle shares her vast knowledge about how to decide what is truly important, how to go beyond "intention," and how you must treat your #1 business asset ...yourself. Then, they deep-dive into their shared passion for the feel-good force, dope soul, and hella ethics known as "The Good Place." *Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language. Connect with Chantelle through her website and Instagram. And don't forget to check out her own podcast, The Aligned Action podcast! Tired of feeling sleazy when you sell - or avoiding "the ask" altogether? Annie P.'s free masterclass is for you.  For full show notes and more visit www.toolegitimatetoquit.com Extra Credit: Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! New episodes drop every Monday. Reviews and ratings really help our little show grow, so thank you for the boost!

Tell most small business owners you work in sales and they look at you like you have three heads - and that stigma extends to the very act of selling in heart-centered small businesses. We don't want to cheapen our clients' experience or put a price on our gifts - so we market and market and market forever until we ultimately burnout or die. This week, Annie P. Ruggles is joined by the fabulous Katrina Summers. Although they serve different clients in wildly different sales environments, their hearts align perfectly in the truth that selling is truly a gateway to serving. Packed with warmth, heart, and practical takeaways, Katrina and Annie prove that big hearts can lead to big profits before pulling lessons out of Cher's music and film legacy. *Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language. Connect with Katrina through her website and Instagram. Tired of feeling sleazy when you sell - or avoiding "the ask" altogether? Annie P.'s free masterclass is for you.  For full show notes and more visit www.toolegitimatetoquit.com Extra Credit: Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! New episodes drop every Monday. Reviews and ratings really help our little show grow, so thank you for the boost!