Making Good: Small Business Marketing Podcast

Okay. I’m about to say something that is going to sound like an exaggeration. But I promise you, it’s not.Here it is:Starting a podcast has changed my life.As a result of the simple decision to start a podcast, so much has come into my life. I have new friends! A new community. A new body of work that I’m so proud of. New skills, new confidence, and yes new revenue streams.So, over 220 episodes into Making Good, I thought it was HIGH TIME that I do a deep dive into podcasting.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/229CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

I was really excited to have today’s guest on the show because she offers a totally unique perspective to branding.Talyn Rahman-Figueroa is a former British diplomat consultant turned brand expert. Her expertise lies in a distinctive realm: empowering solopreneurs to transform themselves into Brand Ambassadors within their respective industries.Talyn’s background as a UK diplomatic consultant forms the foundation of her approach. Her mission is clear: just as she turned citizens into diplomats, she now turns solo entrepreneurs into Brand Ambassadors. Talyn firmly believes that every solopreneur has the potential to become an industry icon.It was so fascinating to hear how Talyn incorporates her background in consulting diplomats when working with clients.  MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/228CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Here’s something I think just about everyone dreads when it comes to marketing their businesses:CRICKETS.You know. The sound of creating content, sending an email, posting a Reel, sharing anything really to market your business and then… nothing.No responses. No comments. No likes. No sales. Nothing.UGH. I know. No fun.The experience I just described is the exact opposite of ENGAGEMENT, which is the topic of today’s episode.Today’s episode is a super practical, hands-on episode. We’re going to talk about what engagement is, why it matters, and (what I know you’re all waiting for) how to INCREASE and IMPROVE your engagement. I’m going to give you some real concrete strategies, and my hope is that you will immediately put these strategies into play, and see the results for yourself! MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/227CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Welcome to Making Good Book Club, where each month we cover a different book we think can help move the needle in your small business.This month we’re talking about ‘Ask’ by Ryan Levesque, and we have so many thoughts! Tune in to see what we liked (and what we didn’t)… and most importantly, what you can learn to use in your business today.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/226CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

As soon as the pitch for Doreen Vanderhart landed in my inbox, I knew I had to have her on the show. She is passionate about bringing ease back to marketing, and trading burnout for gentle, yet strategic marketing plans. I loved geeking out with someone who is on the same page as me in so many ways.Doreen Vanderhart is the founder of Knap Creative, a social media marketing and website design agency located near Lethbridge, Alberta. She started Knap Creative because she believes there is an easier and less stressful way to get your goodness into the hands of your people. Doreen and her team offer inspiration and marketing services and are here to support you in living an intentional, relaxed, meaningful life. Does that not sound like the best? If Doreen had one message for my audience it would be this; Take the pressure off and trust yourself! In our conversation, we chatted about how to do just that, and so much more. Doreen is such a fun, energetic person to talk to, I know you’ll enjoy listening to our conversation as much as I enjoyed having it. MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/225CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Most of us can probably relate to the experience of working really hard on something and then just…. Not finishing. Burning out at mile 25 of the metaphorical marathon.That’s because creating things in the world is HARD, perhaps most of all when it comes to the point where we say. This is done! This is good enough! I’m proud of this and ready to move on.But here’s the thing – finishing is where the magic happens. It’s where all your hard work pays off. It’s where you get to say, "I did it." So, how do we cross that finish line? How do we push past the procrastination, the perfectionism, and the plethora of distractions to finally check that box that says, "Done"? That’s exactly what we’re diving into today. I’m sharing strategies, experiences, and maybe a little bit of tough love, all designed to get you moving, keep you going, and ultimately, help you finish strong.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/224CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

As you may have heard me talk about before, I am a big productivity nerd. I love learning and chatting about new strategies and ideas for getting the most out of the day, whatever that means to you. But I know that’s not the case for everyone, and in fact, can be fuel for self-criticism. I’ve been there too. My guest today knows exactly how loaded the word “Productivity” can be, and I am so excited to share her thoughts on a new way to think about being productive. My guest is Amber De La Garza The Productivity Specialist! Amber has more than a decade of experience helping small business owners maximize profits, reduce stress, and make time for what matters most by improving their time management and elevating their productivity. Amber is a sought-after coach, trainer, speaker, writer, host of the Productivity Straight Talk Podcast and creator of Leverage Lab®. Amber shares her message on her weekly podcast and as Straight Talks both virtually and in-person across the country for audiences that range from small business owners and associations to multinational corporations.As you’ll hear in this conversation, Amber’s approach to harnessing productivity is right up my alley. Setting realistic goals? Check. Being gentle with yourself? Check. Prioritizing tasks? Check! I’m so excited for you to hear my full chat with Amber. MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/223CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Today’s episode is SO IMPORTANT! And I’m so excited to share it with you. Because my friend, keeping going is EVERYTHING. Keeping going – or, being consistent – is what really does separate the folks who meet their goals from everyone else. Which is good news! Because it means you don’t have to be special. You just have to show up every day, consistently.So! Today is part 2 of a 3-part series here on the podcast. Part 1 was about getting started. Part 2 is about keeping going – that’s today’s episode. And the final episode coming out soon is Part 3 - How to finish.If you want to start with Part 1 – How to Get Started, go check out episode 217 of Making Good. Then come back here afterward.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/222CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

So, I have been very excited to share this book with you all and Charelle for a long time because I have been following Ali and his YouTube journey for quite a bit. Ali Abdaal is an ex-doctor turned productivity wizard and highly followed person on YouTube. He shares a lot of videos about productivity, time management, evidence-based strategies, and tools to help us be more productive. He has been publishing amazing content on YouTube for the past 7 years. I am a big fan and I cannot tell you how much I have learned from his channel. When I heard Ali had a book coming out I was immediately sold. I purchased a book, got on the waitlist, and, (with Charelle’s agreement of course), we decided to cover his book on the podcast. So this is that episode! We finally got our hands and eyeballs on our copies of Feel Good Productivity, and I had so much fun dissecting this book with Charelle. As Cherelle would say, Feel Good Productivity is very “bitty.” In other words, it is jam-packed with lots of bits of extremely valuable info, way more than we could ever cover in one episode. His recommendations, ideas, and experiments you can try are evidence-based and science-backed, which I very much appreciate. Ali also asks a lot of valuable questions in the book, which are themselves very worth keeping in your back pocket. I think this book is well worth a read, but here we’re going to talk about some of our key takeaways. I think Charelle and I did a good job of pulling out highlights that will hopefully inspire you in your day-to-day, but again I would absolutely recommend giving the whole book a read, it is fantastic.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/221CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts

Today’s show is a bit different from the topics I usually cover, though the topic has come up in small ways as long as I’ve been making this podcast.We’re talking about how to pick yourself up when life gets in the way, with my guest Michelle Simons.In a case of cosmic timing, while this episode was recorded a month or two ago, this episode comes out less than a week after we had to say goodbye my sweet wolfy dog, Puff, who many of you have heard in the background on past episodes. So. I’ve been really deep in the experience of life throwing a wrench in things. The truth is that not every day is going to be awesome. Some days may find you in a pretty low place. Maybe some health issues came up, maybe a friend or family member is going through a rough time, maybe some other tough life stuff is going on, or maybe you’re just experiencing what we all do from time to time- burnout. Despite our circumstances, so much of the time, things still need to get done.If any of this resonates, my guest today knows exactly how you feel. In fact, picking yourself up and moving forward after challenging life events is something she’s given a lot of thought. Michelle Simons is a a brand strategist and copywriter for small businesses and entrepreneurs. She loves helping business owners pinpoint their brand’s beyond-profit purpose, talk about it in their message, and live it out.Though Michelle is an amazing copywriter and is so good at what she does, we actually had her on the show to talk about a very different topic: how to run a business when life gets in the way. Michelle has chronic illness, and as a result has done a lot of mindset work and strategizing around how to keep her business moving during and after an event. You can’t plan for everything life throws at you, and I was so inspired by everything Michelle shared about toxic positivity, “comparisonitis,” and ways to be gentle with yourself.MAKING GOOD SHOWNOTES:https://makinggoodpodcast.com/220CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM:https://instagram.com/laurentildenGET 100 MARKETING PROMPTS (free!):https://makinggoodpodcast.com/100prompts