On the Up and Up

Let’s talk about how I’m using AI in my business and my personal life to make things easier without losing the heart, ethics, or human-centered focus of my work. I’m sharing the tools I use, the workflows that save me HOURS each week, and some surprising ways AI has helped me make decisions, manage my health, and even stay emotionally regulated.If you’ve been feeling weird about using AI or wondering how to do it without turning into a walking ChatGPT regurgitator...Tune in for:How I use AI to turn longform content (like client calls or podcasts) into social-ready content Why it’s my secret weapon for remembering client details and cutting down on call prepThe surprising way I use AI to help me stay on track with health goalsHow ChatGPT helps me rewrite emotionally-charged emails so I can respond with clarityWhy I believe you can (and should) use AI and still be an ethical, values-driven human (with a healthy dose of skepticism)Links Mentioned:Sign up for our upcoming free training "How Not to Get Sued" https://the-paradigm.com/how-not-to-get-sued Take Our HR Self-Assessment: https://the-paradigm.com/hr-self-assessment Last week’s convo with Sam VanderWielen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-106-how-to-grow-without-losing-yourself-with-sam/id1661939979?i=1000703739144 

What if your business was the least interesting thing about you? In this episode, Kira sits down with legal educator and author Sam Vander Wielen to talk about building a life-first business…one that can weather anything, from grief to burnout to the chaos of online entrepreneurship. They cover everything from crisis-proofing your systems to writing a book deal-worthy proposal and ignoring the internet gurus. Whether you're scaling or just starting out, this is your reminder that simpler can be smarter.In this episode, you'll hear:How Sam built an $8M biz around one offerWhy your passion doesn’t have to be your productCrisis-proofing your business The anti-guru way to grow your businessThe truth about personal branding vs. personal identityWhy When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy is the book we all needed in business schoolLinks MentionedSam’s Book: When I Start My Business, I’ll Be Happy https://www.samvanderwielen.com/book/ Ultimate Bundle®: https://www.samvanderwielen.com/the-ultimate-bundle/ Sam’s Podcast: On Your Terms https://www.samvanderwielen.com/podcast/ Follow Sam on Instagram: @samvanderwielen

We made it to Q2, but not without some bruises. In this solo episode, Kira shares her raw, honest take on what Q1 of 2025 taught her as a founder, leader, and business owner navigating through uncertainty (and yes, a two-star review). From finding stability in chaos to staying agile in how we serve, this episode is full of hard-earned lessons and powerful reminders for anyone leading a team right now.Whether you’re riding high or barely hanging on, this one’s for you.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why your team doesn’t need a perfect leader – just a steady oneWhat one bad review taught Kira about accountability, growth, and protecting your team’s confidenceThe leadership trait people are craving more than ever in uncertain timesWhy agility beats rigidity when it comes to offers, org charts, and internal opsA new HR self-assessment tool designed to show you what you don’t know about compliance (and why that’s not your fault)Listen now to hear Kira’s hot takes, honest confessions, and real talk about leading in today’s landscape.LINKS MENTIONEDDon’t forget to grab the HR Self-Assessment Tool and DM Kira your score! The-paradigmHR Self Assessment For Small Businesses

In this episode, I’m diving into all things HR in the wedding and events world—because let’s be real, planning dreamy days doesn’t mean your backend operations should be a nightmare. We’re talking about some of the most common missteps pros make when it comes to classifying employees, setting up pay structures, and building a team culture that actually works. I’m breaking down the legal stuff in a way that doesn’t make your eyes glaze over—and sharing how to make HR work for your business (not against it).What You’ll Learn ✨ The HR headaches that are way too common in the wedding and events industry ⚖️ Why getting employee vs. contractor classification right really matters 💸 How your pay structure should support both your business goals and your team 🌿 The kind of culture that helps your team thrive (and keeps you out of legal hot water) 📋 Why HR should feel like support, not red tape 🔍 How an HR self-assessment can shine a light on your blind spots 💬 The power of community and ongoing education in staying ahead of the curveWhether you’re running a solo operation or managing a growing team, this episode will help you make smarter, more confident decisions about the people side of your business.

Come gab with two pop-culture junkies with unhealthy celeb gossip addictions and an alarming depth of knowledge in HR and legal drama as we deep-dive into one of Hollywood’s juiciest legal cases.Kelli Jones and I are serving up the piping hot tea on the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni case. We're breaking down the details we can’t stop obsessing over and the surprisingly relatable lessons small business owners can steal from it. Long story short: there’s more to learn here than just who sent the cringiest late-night texts…About Kelli Jones Kelli is a lawyer, passive income strategist, and digital entrepreneur with equal parts dreamer and doer. She ditched her 9-7 for her own law firm in 2020 and never looked back. Kelli traded working all the time for a job she hated in a toxic environment to build a brand of her own to help entrepreneurs stop dreading the legal and start taking it seriously.

This week, I’m diving into my journey towards hiring an assistant (mistakes were made) and how I intentionally created their role to sidestep the pitfalls I’ve fallen into before.My 2025 “word of the year” and how it’s guiding my decisions this year;Two key tips from the business book that I now swear by; Mistakes made and lessons learned on the path to hiring the right kind of assistant (aka not a VA!)Some of the ways that my role and approach to business has already changed for the better after just one month of having an assistant LINKS MENTIONED:Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on all the new laws and rollbacks in this new political climate, and how they may impact your small business.Sign up here: https://the-paradigm.com/newsletter 

This one is for the entrepreneurs who are ready to get off the roller coaster.In this episode, Kira reflects on her journey through 2024 and sets the stage for 2025 and how her word of the year for 2024 drove her takeaways from the year, which had more ups and downs than usual.We discuss: the challenges Kira faced in her business, the importance of community and relationships, how innovation can stem from curiosity, and Kira emphasizes the value of personal development and the lessons learned from navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, ultimately looking forward to a more connected year ahead.For information about Fractional HR for your small business, please visit https://www.the-paradigm.com or to connect further with Kira, reach out via instagram at https://www.instagram.com/theparadigmm

We did it! We’ve hit the big 1-0-0! In what was originally planned to be a celebratory episode, we’re talking about something a little heavier, because we know it's been on a lot of your minds right now. And that is...How to manage your team’s post-election stress and shaky team dynamics - especially when politics aren’t part of your company culture. No matter what side of the aisle you sit on, this episode offers actionable advice on setting boundaries, aligning values with culture, and creating environments where tough conversations lead to growth - not tension. We also unpack why avoiding conflict isn’t the answer and how focusing on shared values can serve as a bridge during divisive times.So click play and celebrate 100 episodes of learning, leading, and leveling up with us! 🎉LINKS MENTIONEDDiscover your people leadership style and unlock your management potential: https://the-paradigm.com/quiz Learn more about our signature management and leadership training program, People on Purpose: https://the-paradigm.com/people-on-purpose 

Kira chats with Adrienna McDermott, founder of Ava and the Bee, about what it takes to build a successful wedding industry business. Adrienna shares about her journey from solopreneur to running a full-blown marketing agency – and the lessons she learned along the way about scaling with intention and why treating your people right is the right way to grow your business.Whether you're a wedding pro or just someone who loves a good entrepreneurial success story, this episode is full of insights, laughs, and relatable moments.Links MentionedFind Ava & The Bee and all their incredible resources at: https://avaandthebee.com/

Ever wondered if social media is actually making a difference in your business, or if it’s just another time suck? 🤔 In today’s episode of On The Up & Up, we answer this question with Emma Tessler, founder of Ninety-Five Media. Emma’s been in the social media game since back when Instagram was all filtered food pics and sepia sunsets (we’ve come so far!). She’s seen firsthand how social has evolved from an afterthought to a make-or-break marketing tool, and she’s here to spill all the tea.If you’re a small business owner feeling overwhelmed by the ever-changing social media landscape, this episode is your guide. We cover:How social media influences 74% of buyers’ decisions (yep, that many!), making it a key player in your business’s success.What she thinks about the advice floating around saying, “You can totally scale your business without social media.” (Spoiler alert: She has thoughts).How to build a seamless brand experience on social media while still keeping it personal and relatable.The evolution of social media marketing and how it’s changing the way small businesses create content in 2024.The #1 key performance indicator Instagram looks at for their algorithm – so you know where to focus your energy for max impact.Her advice for founders who are ready to transition their social presence from “It’s just me!” to a full-blown company brand now that they’ve got a team backing them up.Her take as an agency owner on building, managing, and leading a team.Whether you’re thinking about transitioning from a personal brand to a company presence or figuring out how to streamline your content creation, this episode offers tangible tips, like:Leveraging trending content your way.Using Instagram DMs as a powerful sales tool (hint: there’s more money in your DMs than you might think!).If you want to level up your social game and align your brand for 2025, this episode is packed with strategies you can start using now!Links MentionedExplore Ninety Five Media’s services, sign up for their value-packed newsletter, and get into their free “Master Your Marketing” course: https://ninetyfivemedia.co/ Follow Ninety Five Media on IG @ninety.five.media Tune into the Ninety Five Media Podcast, Stop Scrolling Start Scaling: https://ninetyfivemedia.co/category/podcast/