Big Brave Business: Revolutionary Leadership and Entrepreneurship for Millennials with Sarah Heeter

What a thrill to have my friend and former client, Cheryl Ham, on the podcast this week. Cheryl jumped at something I said in a previous episode / on social media about the expression 'hire before you're ready' and felt passionately about coming on the podcast to dissect that advice and to help us understand when that advice is good and helpful, and when it's potentially toxic and harmful. About Cheryl:Cheryl Ham is the creative mind (and hands) behind Hypnotic Yarn and the Yarnable subscription box, delighting knitters around the world with curated yarn surprises, month after month. Drawing from her personal journey and experiences, Cheryl now coaches creative entrepreneurs, helping them grow and thrive in their handmade businesses.Connect with Cheryl: https://www.indiemadebiz.com/https://hypnoticyarn.com/Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

One of the things we hear all the time in the online business space these days is "trauma-informed." This was one of the fundamental keys to the discussion I had in today's episode with trauma-informed marketer, Stephanie Bilinsky. There are a lot of ethical questions and layers in online marketing in 2024 and beyond, and it was my honor and privilege to get to speak about some of these nuances with Stephanie.About Stephanie Bilinsky: Stephanie left their 9 to 5 in education to build a business that allowed them to write all day and thrive. Along the way, they discovered a passion for helping other entrepreneurs grow through trauma-informed marketing. In addition to providing SEO copywriting services, Stephanie and their spouse Theo run a Patreon community. Together they share education on ethical marketing, sales, and photography.Connect with Stephanie:https://brandcendent.com/https://www.instagram.com/brandcendentConnect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

If you've listened to this podcast for a little while, you might remember that I started my business in the wake of getting laid off. My guest today has had the distinct and unique pleasure of experiencing the trauma of getting laid off multiple times (which I literally can't imagine, what a powerhouse brave woman she is). Today, we're sharing our lay-off stories and also exploring how to build courage in entrepreneurship, especially after a lay-off. About Liz Richards:Liz is a devoted mother and entrepreneur. She loves to talk about fear and creativity and staying connected to courage through risk-taking decisions. Through her business she is passionate about helping people publish strong through nonfiction editing and writing services.Connect with Liz:https://www.lreditorial.com/https://www.instagram.com/thisislizrichardsConnect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

Let's be honest, basically every entrepreneurial or business podcast out there has an episode about burnout. So when Alenka and I met on Threads and she mentioned she wanted to talk about burnout, I knew right away that I wanted to make sure this was a conversation that goes beyond just 'what is burnout,' 'what does burnout feel like,' 'how can you avoid burnout,' etc. Alenka and I explored the gendered nuances of burnout - and although there are many other factors and characteristics that can also impact your relationship with burnout, this episode is specifically about burnout for women. About Alenka:With over 15 years working in the software space Alenka has spent her career in a male dominant space, often being the only woman in a room and the youngest. She is currently building her own business after going through health issues where she wasn't able to find answers in conventional medicine.Connect with Alenka:https://www.sahacollective.comhttps://www.instagram.com/saha.collectiveConnect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

Human Resources is such an interesting beast. I have certainly felt both the benefits and the obstacles of HR in a typical 9-5 corporate environment, and it's a whole other complicated aspect of business as a small business owner. I asked my friend, HR consultant Kirsten Zeigler, to join me for this week's episode of Big Brave Business to talk about HR's role in business, when we need HR, and the ethical complications with AND without HR.About Kirsten:Kirsten Zeigler is a people and culture expert on a mission to reshape the role of Human Resources so that small business owners can focus on growing their business. She collaborates with leaders to ensure compliance, and help build an inclusive and productive culture that attracts and retains talent. Connect with Kirsten:www.kdzhrconsulting.comhttps://www.instagram.com/kdz_hrconsulting/Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

We've talked about networking on this podcast before, because in the fall of last year I did an ambitious (read: crazy) networking challenge. I learned a lot during that experiment that I've been implementing in 2024, and my guest today has a lot of experience making the most of networking, too. The reality is that although it's hard, and it's awkward, and it's uncomfortable, and it pushes you out of your element, it can also lead to the most incredible opportunities and growth.About Sherry Redwine:Sherry Redwine has been in the pet industry for more than 20 years and currently owns Odyssey Pets in Dallas, TX. Odyssey Pets provides holistic pet supplies, dog grooming, boarding and day care, as well as aquarium service and supplies, and freshwater and saltwater fish. Redwine has a bachelor’s in marketing, and her passion for pets and retail design has paved the way for Odyssey Pets to win multiple awards, including the Pet Product News 2020-2021 Retailer of the Year Award. Sherry is also a regular Pet Product News contributor with her article series Pet Shop Confidential.Connect with Sherry:odysseypets.comlinktr.ee/petshopgirlsConnect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

This episode has been a long time coming, because my friend and team member Katie Carson is finally joining me on the podcast. Katie and I met because she listened to the podcast, and then reached out to chat in general, which led to us working together to launch her podcast Ditch the Ick, and now she's even joined the Podfox team as an account manager.In this episode, we started with this general concept of "what does it mean to be big and brave in business," which led to all kinds of topics including what's fucked up in corporate life, the wage and leadership gender gap, bad blanket business advice like "just raise your prices," and so much more.Connect with Katie:https://www.instagram.com/ladykatiecarsonhttps://www.podfoxmedia.com/book-nowhttps://ditchtheick.com/Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

When Hady Mendez came to me and said she wanted to talk about the experience of WOC at work, I was absolutely sure I wanted to have the conversation and also I wasn't sure how best to go about it as a white woman myself. This was an interesting conversation where Hady was able to share her own experience as a woman of color and the ways she's devoted her career to supporting other women of color at work, and I was able to lean in and learn as a white woman and a self-proclaimed ally about how I too can better support women of color in my own life and business.About Hady Mendez:Hady is a Latina speaker and ERG coach based in NYC that works with ERGs looking to take their efforts to the next level. She is the founder and CEO of Boldly Speaking LLC, a company that is transforming the professional experiences of women and people of color by empowering underrepresented employees with the skills to self-advocate, self-promote, and capitalize on leadership roles within Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and throughout organizations. With a diverse career spanning over 25 years, Hady has served as Head of Equality for a major tech firm, held multiple customer-facing roles in high tech and financial services, served as a leader and advisor across various Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), volunteered as an international champion for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, and served as Community School Director at an elementary school in the South Bronx. In her free time, Hady is an amateur street art photographer and an avid podcast listener.Connect with Hady:https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadymendezhttps://www.boldlyspeakingllc.comWant to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzusConnect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Alright besties, I'll level with you. I used to have an online course, and I HATED IT. I share why in this episode, but also, I definitely think online courses are in my future business model because I want to make podcasting as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. But I have learned the hard way that online courses are not a get-rich-quick scheme and it's not easy to make them effective. My guest today is an expert on developing curriculum and online coursework and supporting students, and she's diving in with me all about the problems with the online course creation industry.About Dr. Catrina MitchumDr. Catrina Mitchum, founder of Catrina Mitchum Learning Design, has 16 years experience designing and delivering online courses and training inside higher ed. She creates change through learning design support for overwhelmed founders that give a shit about the success of their employees and clients. She provides that combination of a swift kick and a helping hand to simplify the process, eliminate the overwhelm, and focus on learner success through accessibility and transparency.Connect with Catrinahttps://www.cmlearningdesign.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/catrina-mitchum-learning-design/Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzusConnect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

This week I am joined by guest Betsaida Lebron to talk about play and humor and how those are two majorly overlooked factors that can make us better leaders. We often think play is irrelevant for adults, and totally opposite of productivity or business, but the reality is that these concepts go hand-in-hand. About Betsaida:Betsaida LeBron is a teambuilding comedian and CEO of ImprovEQ. With her unique approach, she uses the art of improvisational comedy as a unique key to unlock untapped leadership potential and foster positive team dynamics. She runs the Leadership Playground, a unique play-led program that equips new managers with the necessary skills to maintain their authenticity, joy, and humanity in their leadership roles and work environments.Connect with Betsaida;https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsaidalebronhttps://www.instagram.com/playfulleaderWant to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzusConnect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusinesshttps://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness