This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who struggles to follow their authentic path amid the pressure of wanting to have it all.  My guest today is Dr. Tori Ellis, a transformational life and business coach. We discuss how ALL of us experience the same challenges—yes, even your coaches, your idols, and the people who seem to have everything figured out. Join us as we cover a variety of topics, including balancing working and motherhood, empowering the next generation,...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who has been burned by selling to a customer who turned out to be a real pain in the butt.  Remember: all sales are not good sales. As a business owner or sales rep, you must vet your customers the same way they’re vetting you. The wrong sales can create chaos in your team, kill retention and tank profitability.  Tune in for tips on how to spot a bad customer and weed them out before the contract is signed.  If you like this episode,...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who feels frustrated by the tug-of-war between buyers and sellers. Today’s guest is a fun one because he’s a client of ours at my marketing agency, Accelity. Chris Heard is a serial entrepreneur, tech sales leader, and CEO and Co-Founder of Olive, a company on a mission to improve IT decision-making.  Chris and I have a fantastic discussion that spans why buyers and sales are always at odds and Chris’ tips for new entrepreneurs. He...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who is feeling uncomfortable about a situation and doesn’t know whether to stick with it or move on.  How do you know when something is uncomfortable because you're growing, and how do you know when something is uncomfortable because it's wrong for you? There are no hard and fast rules to making the right decision (I wish!), but I share some guardrails that can help direct you.  Remember: even if it’s the “wrong” direction, you’re...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who wants to put themselves in a position to lead a progressive, innovative company. My guest today is Megan Bowen, the newly-minted CEO of Refine Labs. Megan and I cover a wide range of topics including how to move into the C-suite, building a people-first organization, and best practices for placing your company at the cutting edge.  Make sure you tune in for her insights on persistence, self-advocacy and boundaries in your quest for...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who feels like the hits just keep coming and you don’t know how to deal. (Hopefully, that’s not you!) I’ve learned that even the “bad” things that happen—accidents, layoffs, breakups—can end up being for a good reason. In the end, it always works out.  Today I’m sharing stories that have helped me build this muscle of reframing the crap life throws at us as life happening FOR you, not TO you.  If you like this episode, check out these...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone looking for ways to reach an audience that isn’t quite ready to embrace the future of your industry.  My guest today is Bob Gaydos, the founder and CEO of Pendella, where he leads a team that is automating the insurance underwriting process through AI and big data. Since he has decades of experience with it, I of course had to ask him about making change in notoriously change-resistant places. We talk through the importance of...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who wants to start 2024 by knocking their sales goals out of the park.  One of my main goals for Q1 is filling up our pipeline. So, my company President, Jenny, and I brainstormed a bunch of ways to make sure we have plenty of new sales ideas ready to go—and I want to share those with you! Make sure you tune in for strategies you can borrow, from growing your LinkedIn presence to how to effectively capitalize on referrals. If you like...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone curious about the skills required to become a serial entrepreneur.  My guest today is Fran Maier, a "Super Founder" best known for co-founding and launching Match.com. With over 25 years of experience in B2B and B2C internet businesses, she is now leading the #1 baby gear rental service company in the country as CEO of BabyQuip. Make sure you tune in for Fran’s insights on marketing to your audience, launching multiple successful...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who is ready to have the best year ever—but feels like it’s already too late for those New Year’s resolutions.   I’m sure if you’re listening to this podcast, you already have at least some pretty strong habits. It takes good habits and discipline in order to run a company, be a solopreneur, or even climb in your career. That said, we often get off on the wrong foot in the new year because the holiday season can destroy our good...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who loves taking personality assessments like DiSC, Myers-Briggs, and Enneagram, and wants to learn how to read and strengthen their results. My guest today is Micah Lorenc, owner of Tailor Consulting and a specialist in leadership and team development and training. This episode has a different format: Micah and I chat through the results of my CliftonStrengths assessment. Even though everyone’s results are different, we cover a lot...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is a roundup episode featuring some of my favorite advice from podcast guests this year. We talk about everything from failure and feedback to building the network you want and how to make it work for you. I walked away from these conversations feeling really inspired, and I hope they’ll give you some a-ha moments to take into the new year too. Check out the full episodes with these guests for more insights.Episode 200. Learning what’s on the other...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who is looking ahead to set their sales and marketing goals in 2024.  In this episode, we dig a little deeper into what you should be considering to set strong goals for next year and think creatively around your sales and marketing programs. Tune in for 8 tips to keep in mind to set challenging but achievable goals for your business.  If you like this episode, check out these resources.Podcast: Are you making these 5 sales &...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who wants to enjoy, and feel passionate about, their work. My guest today is Nate Randle, CEO of Gabb Wireless, a safe cell phone designed for kids. Nate and I discuss that magic intersection between passion, purpose, and money and how he uses his platform to help others. Make sure you tune in for Nate’s advice for building a career founded on your core values.  About Nate RandleAs CEO of Gabb Wireless, Nate brings years of experience...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who is looking ahead to the next few weeks and wondering how they’ll ever get it all done.  We’re revisiting a topic I discussed in episode 77 about surviving your busiest seasons. And with the holidays coming up and the year coming to a close, many of us are about to embark on a busy season of work, travel and family.  I share a number of different strategies that will help you not only stay sane, but thrive amid the chaos! If you...

This episode is for anyone who is waiting until retirement to really start living their life. (Signs of this include not taking risks, not traveling as much as you want, having little free time, and a lot more.) My guest today is Nat Berman, a coach teaching businesses and individuals how to get exactly where they want to go. Nat refutes the idea that we have to wait for a certain level of success or a certain amount of money or even until retirement to enjoy our lives.  Tune in as Nat talks...

This episode is for anyone who is considering starting their own business. Entrepreneurship looks like this amazing, sexy thing that a lot of people strive for. Being your own boss. Running your own schedule. Sounds like freedom, right?! Think again. Being an entrepreneur is actually all about knowing and doing the basics. If you are starting a company because you want to do more of what you love, realize that you may actually have to do less of that thing. Stay tuned for tips on finding the...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who loves a super inspiring, hope-filled story (who doesn’t?).  I’m joined by Gregory Proctor, a management executive, entrepreneurial leader and author, and a passionate advocate for multiple myeloma awareness and support. Gregory and I discuss his journey of being diagnosed with this rare cancer, and what he did between then and now to come out the other side as a survivor. So many of his lessons apply to everyone—whether they have...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who finds themselves struggling to relate to that one coworker (or several) you just don’t get along with. Whether you're in a leadership role or not, dealing with difficult coworkers is a universal experience. In this episode, we delve into the intricacies of handling such situations. We discuss the importance of not overexplaining when you feel attacked, the value of leaning in and understanding your coworkers, the significance of...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who has felt uncomfortable sharing their true, authentic self in the workplace.  I’m joined by Tricia Montalvo Timm, board director, venture investor, speaker, and author. Tricia and I discuss her experiences as a Latina navigating Silicon Valley and how both employers and employees can create a more inclusive environment.  Tune in for perspective on how you can bring your best self into your workplace, and help create the environment...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who is often fatigued, tired, or in a mood. There are solutions for those willing to look! You’ve heard the phrase, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” Sure, it’s cliche, but it’s also true. You have to take better care of yourself than ever if you want to be a good leader, a good coach, a good parent, or successful in any way. The answer never was, and it still is not, to work more, sleep less, and take crappy care of yourself. It’s...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who wants to learn how to navigate the changing landscape of LinkedIn for entrepreneurs and creators.  I’m joined by Trish Lindo, Senior Creator Manager at LinkedIn. Through her role Trish empowers and supports diverse founders and their small businesses, helping them find opportunities on and off LinkedIn.  We dive into the recent algorithm changes, the types of content that perform best, and the importance of authenticity on the...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who wants to improve their communication skills and reduce unnecessary stress in their business interactions. One of the biggest opportunities that we all have in business is to start practicing Most Respectful Interpretation, or MRI. Tune in to learn practical strategies for implementing MRI in your professional life, from getting to know colleagues on a personal level to questioning your own assumptions. Start small, and soon,...

If you love inspirational stories about entrepreneurship and want a new recommendation for your to-be-read list, this episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for you! I chat with Edrizio De La Cruz about the soft skills of starting, funding and exiting a company. Edrizio is the first Latino Y Combinator visiting partner. He sold his fintech startup Arcus to MasterCard after running it for nearly a decade. Edrizio has an incredible story of overcoming challenges and beating imposter syndrome...

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for you if you’re looking for a way to change your mindset and create a more meaningful life.  If you’ve listened to previous episodes, you may have heard me talk about living above the line or below the line. This framework breaks down the cause versus the effect of an action and how you react to it. Are you looking to see how you can take responsibility for the cause? Or are you dwelling on the effect, playing the blame game, and skirting...