Making Good: Small Business Podcast

I was so excited to have today’s guest on the show. There is so much to say about him that I honestly wasn’t sure how to fit it all into an intro, so here are the highlights. Calan Breckon helps business owners get clear on their SEO (search engine optimization) strategy for their websites and businesses. He helps develop a content strategy growth plan, keyword planning, email list building, podcast development, and more to boost searchability on Google and search engines and drive more traffic to websites, products, or services.He also does amazing work uplifting and highlighting the voices of the gay community via his podcast, The Business Gay, a weekly show all about business, marketing, and entrepreneurship. I was so excited to discover this podcast because queer voices are drastically underrepresented in business and marketing, and I love to see a platform curated for the community Calan and I are a part of. Now,   I have to admit, my motivation for having Calan on the show was slightly self-serving… SEO is a topic we’ve covered a little on this show, but one of Calan’s realms of expertise is SEO for podcasting specifically. As you can guess, this is something I was very excited to pick Calan’s brain about. Whether or not podcasting is something you’re interested in, you will get so much out of this episode. Calan does a fantastic job of clearly explaining the basics of SEO and how to optimize it for any website.I’ve said it before and I really really mean it this time- TAKE NOTES. I certainly was during our conversation!MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/244CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

My dears! I have such a treat for you today. One that I am *literally* giddy with anticipation, smiling as I record this to share with you.This episode comes out on June 4th – and it’s our first episode of PRIDE MONTH! As you probably know, I am a proud member of the queer community and to celebrate Pride, I’ve got a bit of a bonanza on the podcast today.And that is, of course, with CONTENT! Content is kind of my love language. And so today, I’ve decided to share something with you that until now has only been available to members of Making Good Happen. As you know – in Making Good Happen, we have a private podcast where there’s a new podcast released every single weekday.SO. Today, I’ve taken not 1, not 2, 3 or 4, BUT FIVE episodes that came out somewhere in the last few weeks, and I’m sharing them here with you today. And you’re gonna want to listen to all of them, because I’m spilling the beans about some big changes in my life and business  in a pretty big way in one of these episodes.We’re covering a few of my favorite topics, everything from content packaging to email to burning it down to aimlessness. It’s gonna be good.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/240CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

At the beginning of my conversation with today’s guest, I said something like, “This is one of those conversations that is 100% outside of my comfort zone.” I was truly not expecting that my zone of comfort would expand in a whole new way by the end of today’s episode thanks to my guest, Meenadchi. Meenadchi is a somatic healing practitioner, with a focus on clearing ancestral money trauma for first-time entrepreneurs. The modality she uses for this work is family constellation therapy. In trying to explain family constellation therapy, Meenadchi realized it would be easier to demonstrate how it works by doing a short session during the interview. This was completely unexpected and un planned, but I’m so glad we took the time because there is no substitute for experiencing a session first hand. This is maybe the most intimate and personal conversation I’ve ever aired on this show, and I was a little on the fence about how much of it I would share. In the end it felt right to just put the whole thing out there, because I think sharing the experience as well as the insights I gained from it could be super beneficial to listeners of this show. There were some long pauses as I stopped to think about a question or prompt Meenadchi gave me, so those are shortened for your benefit, but otherwise it’s all in there.Eek!MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/239CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

I’m just gonna come out and say it: Today’s episode is A TREAT. My guest today and I have been mutually following each other for a while and HOLY MOLY am I glad that we finally got to connect. She is as fun to talk to as she is knowledgeable about business and branding.AND FUN FACT! I’m guest hosting over on her podcast, the exact day that this episode came out! So head over to the Brand Your Passion podcast (in the show notes) to listen to that one.Hollie Arnett is a graphic designer turned brand strategist. Her mission is to help creatives build their brands, grow their audiences, and share their work with the world so that they can see their vision come true. Hollie and I are kindred spirits in a few ways, but the most obvious was right smack on her website’s bio. She says, “more creativity, colour, and joy in the world? Yes please.” For those of you who have been around for a while, you know I relate to this on so many different levels. And in fact, Hollie’s relatability is one of the things I like so much about her. She explains branding in an accessible way without the annoying jargon and buzzwords. She is also passionate about what she does, and throughout our conversation offered a goldmine of actionable tips and takeaways. Whatever stage your branding is in, I know you will find some nugget of wisdom to take away from this interview and keep in your back pocket. Or better yet, put into play right away!MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/238CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

There are certain people and businesses whose content I just can’t get enough of. When I see they’ve posted something new on Instagram, or uploaded a new podcast episode or video or blog post, or better yet - sent me a marketing email… I go STRAIGHT TO IT because I want to see what they’ve got going on.As marketers, this is the dream. We want our content to make people GENUINELY excited to see what we have to say or what we’ve posted.We want our ideal customers to come across our social posts, videos, blogs, podcasts, emails, WHATEVER IT IS, and click on that one first. There is a secret key to magnetic content like this – content that just has that indescribable pull to it – and we're going to talk about it in this episode.Today I'm sharing a concept that I believe in *SO STRONGLY* but that so far, I've only taught on in my membership Making Good Happen.Let the bean-spilling begin! 🫘MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/236CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

To be honest, I avoided reading this book for quite a while. This is just my opinion, but the title is boring and misleading, and the cover art is pretty bad. I know, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” and all that, but it’s actually really bad in my opinion. What finally got me to cave was multiple guests on this podcast kept recommending it to me, people I really respect and enjoy talking to. So Charelle and I decided to crack it open! Now, while I don’t agree with everything in E-Myth, it turned out there were more valuable takeaways than I think either Charelle or I were expecting, which was such a lovely surprise. As per usual, Charelle and I flagged at different sections and had some really different takeaways. I cannot wait for you to listen to our conversation and see what you think.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/237CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Creating strong friendships as an adult is something I have been thinking about a lot lately, and it seems like many, many other people are to. In the last few years, there have been books, studies, articles, podcast episodes- you name it- all trying to understand adult friendship. This topic got particular attention in the wake of lockdown, when across the US, employees of all kinds who made the necessary switch to working from home, well, stayed home. I’m sure many of you have heard about the “epidemic of loneliness.”As owners of very small businesses where we are also often the one-and-only employee, solitude may not have been totally new for us when lockdown was put in place. Not to say small business owners are a necessarily lonely bunch, but I think many would agree that creating friendships and growing a community of peers can be more challenging outside of a big company or organization setting. That’s part of the reason why I created my membership program, Making Good Happen, to create a space for like-minded small business owners to swap ideas, share hardship, and rejoice in each other’s wins. I’m not usually a big New Years resolution gal, but this year I did set the goal of spending more quality time with people in my small business community, not only online but in person. But let's face it, getting the ball rolling can feel a little awkward. That’s why I was so excited to chat with today’s guest, Danielle Bayard Jackson. A certified friendship coach, Danielle teaches women how to make and maintain better friendships through research-based methodology. Since studying the ins and outs of female friendships, her teachings include how to solve common female friendship conflicts, creating connections with depth and closeness, and the impact of friendship on our physical, mental, and emotional health.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/235CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Books are a huge part of my life… and my business. You might have noticed a hint of that from the fact that Making Good has a book club! In addition to the every Tuesday episodes that come out here on the podcast, on the fifteenth of every month we also have a Making Good Book Club episode, where we discuss a book we think can make an impact on your business, share our key takeaways, and then let you know what book we’re covering NEXT MONTH.I’ve read a lot of books in the last couple of years. Not all of them changed things for me. But the ones that did? BOY am I glad I got to read them. Stephen King said, “Books are a uniquely portable magic.”And I want to share some of that magic with you.Here’s the deal in today’s episode. We’re going to talk about 10 books that have changed my life and business… and might just do the same for you.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/234CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

I am so, so thankful to today’s guest for completely letting me go off the rails and run wild with our conversation. Something you may not know about many interview-style podcasts is as hosts, we try to prep our guests with a list of questions they can expect during the interview. For whatever reason, I threw many of the pre-determined questions for this episode right out the window, and Julie Sellers was totally game. Often times, following your intuition and excitement yields the best results, and my conversation with Julie was no exception! Julie is the CEO of a small business advisory firm called Ellevated Outcomes, where she and her team teach and develop customized business strategy for creative entrepreneurs. They offer two paths to clarity & confidence for creative entrepreneurs who have found success in their unique skills, passion, and intuition, and who now seek a sustainable business and a balanced life. Julie was so genuine and thoughtful in her responses to my questions, (and follow up questions). If she could shout one message from the rooftops, I think it would be this: “CEO” isn’t a big scary commitment, it’s a mindset that can help you reach your goals, however you define them! I cannot wait for you to give our fascinating conversation a listen.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/233CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Let me get straight to the point:I’m doing something new! Something completely and totally out of my comfort zone. Something that I’m a total beginner at. And it has me FEELING THE FEELS.And I really, really need a pep talk. And so… I’m giving one to myself.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/232CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts