And She Spoke

According to Cal Newport, “If you don’t produce, you won’t thrive—no matter how skilled or talented you are.” In an age of hyper-connectivity, it is so easy to move through our days without ever accomplishing anything meaningful. Because of the cacophony of social media notifications, text messages, and an overflowing inbox, the process of deepening our skills and creating original work has become a rare occurrence (and borderline subversive) in our culture. Today’s episode explores the reasons why deep, focused work matters if you want to create something of value in the world and live a rich, intentional life. Joy: Simplicity ParentingHustle: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

In this episode, we discuss why you should NOT undervalue yourself, your business, and your entire industry by offering inexpensive products, programs, or services. We talk about the difference between "free" and "cheap" and why we recommend and often create valuable "free"content but constantly urge our clients to stay away from "cheap." We also discuss the dangers that come along with underpricing, particularly the negative energetic relationship that develops between you and your clients. Resentment is dangerous territory, folks. Charge what you’re worth. Joy: You Are a Badass at Making MoneyHustle: DailyWorth

Often, we don't do a fantastic job of acknowledging our own success. Some wise folks are rumored to have said that comparison is the thief of joy (FDR and Mark Twain, to name a few). It's so true, right? When we look back and try to imagine our old selves achieving our current accomplishments, we realize that we are often WAY too hard on ourselves. Listen in to learn why we are making joy an even bigger priority in our lives and business. Other Mentions: FREE Social Media Summer Camp! Joy: The Five Minute Journal Hustle: Find an Accountability Partner

How many people do you need in your audience in order to build a sustainable online business? What’s the difference between a follower and fan? How many fans do you need in order to make a living from your craft? How can you leverage your role as a small business owner in the modern economy?Find out why generosity, kindness, and vulnerability are key to building your tribe online and learn about the seven specific benefits your business can receive from having a tribe of committed and loyal fans. Other Mentions: Episode #17: Networking, How to Build Community and Grow Your Tribe Online Joy: How We GatherHustle: 1,000 True Fans

Part of successfully launching a modern (online) business is figuring out how to create focus within an ever-expanding barrage of distraction. As entrepreneurs and innovators, we are inherently drawn to new ideas, new courses, new strategies, but we’ve seen over and over that success comes to those who are able to drill down deep and focus on executing one idea at a time.  If you want to see big results in your business, we strongly encourage you to focus on just one quintessential client, one message, one call to action, one product offering, and one social media platform. Joy: Good Life Project’s Sheryl O’Loughlin InterviewHustle: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

We are all a part of the gig economy, whether we like it or not. How has this new economy shaped the way we live and work? How does this shift relate to each of us and our businesses? More than a third of the U.S. economy (with similar numbers in Canada) is engaged in this new way of working, but have we really considered its implications — both as individuals and as a society? We discuss the path from employee to freelancer to entrepreneur and explain why we believe that freelancing is best used as a stepping stone along the journey to entrepreneurship. Other Mentions: Female, Bootstrapped, and Profitable in Silicon Valley Joy: Tulsi TeaHustle: Is the Gig Economy Working?

One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is “What tools do I need when getting started as an online teacher or coach?” Our answers might surprise you (and cost a lot less than you might think).  There are so many incredible software tools you can incorporate to streamline and simplify your online business, but it can be challenging to determine the very best (and most affordable) options — especially when you’re just starting out. We break down the tools that we recommend at various stages of business and discuss when you can get away with using free tools and when it makes sense to upgrade to paid software. Resources Mentioned: Asana, Trello, G-Suite, Canva, Namastream Software, iMovie, MailChimp, Convertkit, Squarespace, Slack, Airstory, Repurpose Joy: eteeHustle: Soulful MBA Course

What are the taboo topics that nobody is really talking about in modern entrepreneurship? We take inspiration from a blog post recently written by Grace Bonney, 10 Things People Don’t Talk About in Business (But Should), and pull back the veil to discuss some tricky truths that we’ve uncovered in our own businesses. We touch upon issues of hiring, firing, contracts, building relationships with team members, assertiveness, harnessing fear, work-life balance, apologizing, growing apart, walking away, leaving room for grace, playing the long game, and not having all the answers. Joy: In The Company of WomenHustle: Deep Work

We’ve been working for many months on a new theory of entrepreneurship for ourselves and our business — the EMPIRE. You determine the size, structure, and design of your entrepreneurial empire. You decide who belongs in your empire and who does not. An empire-centric view of business can help you embrace a longer-term set of strategies, rather than falling victim to a short-term, quick win-centric mindset. You are the leader, and you need to establish your authority as the empress or emperor. Finally, your strength as a leader comes from generosity, not from coercion. Joy: Cumulus Clay PotteryHustle: Laura Close

Are there certain rules that we can follow to achieve success in life and business? Lots of video games have cheat codes—secret tips and tricks to help you level-up—but does business also contain them? We explore issues of legacy, victimhood, personal responsibility, human connection, journaling, and shame. Joy: Archetype Quiz Hustle: Life is a Video Game—Here are the Cheat Codes