Making Good: Small Business Podcast

So this one is kind of a big deal for me.I was a little bit nervous to record this episode, and honestly even more nervous to release it into the world. But I’m also excited! My guest today is a rare repeat guest, Nell Wulfhart, the decision coach. The last time we had her on, in episode 148 of this podcast, she explained all about her role as a decision coach and offered a goldmine of tips for how to make better, faster decisions. In our most recent conversation, recorded this past October, we turned the tables in a totally new format for the show. Nell took the interviewer seat to help me make a huge decision about my businesses. We treated it like a live coaching session, with Nell taking me though the process just like she would with any of her clients. As you’ll hear in the episode, I was pretty amazed by the end. Let’s just say Nell is very good at what she does.Nell Wulfhart is a journalist, a writer, a world traveler, and on top of it all, a decision coach. Nell attributes her successes to her talent for making quick decisions at various crossroads in her life. To Nell, time wasted in perseverating over a decision is a tragedy, so she opened up shop to help others make decisions quickly and save precious time. Connect with Nell:Website: www.decideandmoveforward.comMAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/211CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

When I tell you to think about marketing your business, what comes to mind?Social media? Reels? Paying for ads? Complicated strategies? Stuff you don’t know how to do but everyone’s telling you that you “should” be doing? Spending money you don’t currently have available to spend? Overall… just a heavy sense of overwhelm?If that’s you I have 3 things to tell you, all of which I hope you will find to be good news.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/210CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Question for you.Did you know that I own a retail store? I’ve mentioned it a few times on the show, but in case this is news to you, let me tell you about it. My shop is called Station7 in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. My mom started it in 2015 and I took it over in 2019, and it is so wonderful. We feature goods from mostly local artists and makers, we priorotize businesses that are owned by women and members of the BIPOC and LGBTQ communities. It is awesome.It’s not often that I get to sit down with a fellow retail store owner on this podcast, and it was so much fun to talk shop with Jessie Williams. Jessie is BUSY. Not only does she own three retail locations in North Carolina, two Edge of Urge locations, and one Unlikely Professionals, but she also owns and manages Cute House, a vacation rental home also in North Carolina. All of her businesses and side projects, (too many to list in this intro!), are focused on supporting up-and-coming makers and small businesses, as well as giving back to her community. I have admired Jessie and her work via Edge of Urge for a while now, and it was such a joy to sit down and pick her brain. She was so open and thoughtful, and I got so much out of our conversation. I know you will too. MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/209CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

This episode comes out at the end of November, and I know from members in my community that the energy is high and also! A little chaotic. The end of the year is a super important time for many small businesses – certainly MOST small businesses in my community. So we want our marketing to really deliver for us.But creatively… you might be feeling just tapped out. SO If you need some support planning your end-of-year marketing, today’s episode is for you. My goal is to give you some good ideas on WHAT TO ACTUALLY SAY in your marketing… in order to get those big results. MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/208CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

This book was a true goldmine. It is packed full of information and examples, way, way too many for us to deep dive into all of it. It’s worth it to pick up a copy of most of the books we discuss in Book Club, but Fascinate in particular is so dense with info, (in a fun way!), that we couldn’t possibly cover it all in an hour-long conversation. I love this book because of the permission it gives to explore and figure out your unique approach marketing, rather than pigeonholing yourself into pre-existing models. At the same time it offers an absolute bounty of guide rails and suggestions for a plethora of brand personalities. Fascinate does an amazing job of helping you figure out first and foremost what makes your brand stand out, then apply some of Hogshead’s suggested pillars or strategies to your marketing. Special thanks to Charelle for recommending this one. She’s actually using some of the tactics from Fascinate in her 2024 planning! Look out world!  Connect with us on Instagram:Charelle - @charellegriffithLauren - @laurentildenMAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/207CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

A question for you, listener. How often do you think about networking? The term “Networking” can feel extremely general, and the practice of going into a room full of strangers to try and make connections can seem intimidating. We know it’s good for our businesses to meet new people and build partnerships, but figuring out the right way into a networking situation can feel daunting. My guest today found a lot of success in growing her business through networking, and I love her strategic and thoughtful approach to figuring out which rooms she wants to be in, and how she can get the most impact from her limited time.Now, I record these episodes WAYYYY before they come out, and since we recorded, Dani has actually shifted directions and no longer runs that business. However, that doesn’t change how valuable this conversation is so I wanted to be sure to bring it to you anyway! Dani Sticka is a former professional home organizer who believes in letting go of perfection and embracing a simpler life through home organization. During her own personal health journey and finding peace with less, Dani created Imperfectly Tidy to help others let go too.Whether you consider yourself an introvert or generally pretty outgoing, there is a LOT to get out of my conversation with Dani. I know I came away from the interview with a lot of food for thought.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/206CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

HOOOOOOLY MOLY do I have a treat for you. Like, the biggest treat ever.This week, I decided to share with you ALL FIVE of the private podcast episodes coming out this week in Making Good Happen.Making Good Happen is my membership program, and every day Monday - Friday, there’s a private podcast that comes out for members to listen to.So, here's all 5 episodes.Want to join so you get ALL these episodes? Get the details here. MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/205CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Today, we’re gonna talk about something truly scary for small business owners: MARKETING. In this episode, I'm sharing my best advice for moving past this.  MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/199CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Small businesses are so powerful and make such amazing impacts on the communities around them — especially when they get the support they need. To illustrate this, I was joined by Ibrahima Souare from NYPACE, an incredible organization that mentors entrepreneurs, as well as Tamekia Flowers-Ball of Epiphany Blue, business owner/mentee who participated in NYPACE's program. In this episode, we discussed:NYPACE’s missionTamekia’s  experience at NYPACE with her business, Epiphany Blue How NYPACE continues supporting the small businesses that complete their programQualities of the most successful small business owners and entrepreneurs The ripple effects of small business entrepreneurs’ successWho would be a good candidate to work with NYPACEAnd moreLearn more about and connect with Ibrahima and NYPACE:Website: nypace.orgEmail: info@nypace.orgLinkedin: Ibrahima Souare Twitter: Ibrahima SouareLearn more about and connect with Tamekia and Epiphany Blue:Website: epiphanyblue.comLinkedin: Tamekia Flowers-BallInstagram: @epiphanyblueFacebook: Epiphany Blue MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/203CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Today’s episode is about a topic that is near and dear to my heart; How to create and maintain a socially conscious business.My passion for this probably comes as no surprise, given the titles of my podcast and of my membership program, Making Good and Making Good Happen. Many if not most of this show’s listeners are, or want to be, socially conscious entrepreneurs, and it has been such a joy to witness the community forming and growing around this idea. As today’s guest said, it is so vital to surround yourself with peers and fellow business owners who “get it;” who support your business’s mission for good.   To help us think through how to center doing good in our businesses, (hint: there are so, so many ways), Stephanie Malon-Rufi joined me for a fantastic conversation. Stephanie is the owner of Spark Good, where she consults with and coaches socially conscious entrepreneurs. She helps to distill their vision into a focused strategy and action plan, helps solve key challenges with mindset blocks, and helps them have a greater positive social impact with their business. It was so much fun to get to talk with someone else in the social entrepreneurship space, I learned a lot from my chat with Stephanie. No matter where your business is in its journey for good, I know you will get a lot out of this conversation.Connect with Stephanie:Instagram: @smalonrufiWebsite: sparkgood.netMAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/202CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts