Bella In Your Business: Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Podcast

Bella chose episode 56 with Lain Ehmann to be part of the Best of Bella series because it was one of the most downloaded episodes of Bella in Your Business. Bella and Lain dive in deep on branding and how to make your website stand out. They talk about figuring out who you are as a brand and a business, Lain even offers a free download to help you!

Show Highlights

Who is Lain? [3:25]

What mistakes do small businesses make on their website? [4:30]

How can you correct the issues? [7:00]

What is messaging? [9:50]

Should all businesses be concerned about branding? [18:00]

How do you share your marketing across different platforms? [20:40]

What is something businesses shouldn't do in messaging? [23:50]

Where can you find out more about Lain? [27:20]

“Messaging is a tool to do that by defining who you are, what the value is that you provide, and the audience you provide that to.” – Lain Ehmann

The next logical step in the process is helping customers see that you can solve the problems they have.  You can drive customer motivation by tapping into their “pain points”. Bella recommends that you include the benefits of your online scheduling as part of your messaging.  Lain says that playing up your “secret sauce”, that unique niche that you have identified, will help you reach those who need that service and even build your standing among those who don’t because they see how much you care.

They also recommend doubling up on your marketing. For instance, doing a Facebook live with tips about dog walking and then putting a link to that under your services page.

Another common mistake Lain points out is that often business owners speak from their point of view and assume that the audience knows everything that they know. In fact, educating the audience should be an important part of your efforts. Make sure they understand the terminology and services you are offering. Lead them through your site to the call to action.

Original Show Notes

On this episode, Bella spends time with Lain Ehmann, Marketing Strategist at #FastLain.

You will learn how to make that message different between the mediums. In particular, be conscious of the frame of mind people are in when they are reaching out to you vs. when you are reaching out to them. Give them something they wouldn’t expect. Don’t sell them. Listen in as they talk about the mistakes small businesses make on their websites, including telling a story that your audience wants to hear vs. telling the story you want the audience to hear. Be mindful of your audience.

Messaging, which is “communications branding”, is critical to success. It is the message you are going to consistently send out to your audience that also helps you distinguish yourself from others in your niche. As a bonus, doing so may even allow you to charge more.

About Lain

Lain is a bestselling author and communications strategist, who specializes in helping six- and seven-figure entrepreneurs uncover hidden profits and potential – FAST.  Her superpower is saying what your customers and clients really need to hear, to get the results you want as quickly as possible.

Links Mentioned In This Episode

Get in the – #FastLain at http://www.fastlain.com.

Free messaging guide: http://lainehmann.com/messagingdl

Transcript:

Welcome to Bella in Your Business. This is episode 156 of the Best of Bella featuring Lain Ehmann as we replay episode 56. The Best of Bella. I chose this episode because it was one of our most popular downloads as we really dived in deep on messaging, how to make your website really stand out and be unique as a pet sitter and a dog walker. I kind of feel like a lot of websites out there are really just selling the industry. What I mean by that is I see a lot of people say something like, we're professionals and we turn the blinds for the lived-in look, and your pet is safe and secure in their own home, and we clean all the litter boxes or we wash the bowls or turn the blinds for that lived-in look. And in reality, all that's doing is really telling what a professional pet sitter does. It doesn't really speak to the uniqueness of you and your company.

I think that that only comes from figuring out who you are as a company, as a brand, as a business — much like your coming of age that we all kind of go through during our adolescence and puberty. We kind of grow into our own. So this episode is so amazing and Lain also has a free download for you at the end that I think really can help you. And I know it really helped a lot of people the first time around. Without further ado, here is episode 156 featuring episode 56 with my good friend Lain. Enjoy.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready. Bella's got your chute. Let's jump!

Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, your host, and today I have Lain with me. Lain and I actually met at a local conference where it just felt like everything there was lit up by the Holy Spirit. It was an electrifying time leading to electrifying relationships. Lain and I have only known each other a few short weeks, but after meeting her once, she was someone I was drawn to and I just knew that I had to have her on the podcast for you all.

Lain is a bestselling author and a communication strategist specializing in helping six- and seven-figure entrepreneurs uncover hidden profits and potential fast. Her superpower is saying what your customers and clients really need to hear and getting the results you want as quickly as possible. She calls it getting in the hashtag fast lane — get it, her name, Fast Lain. Lain is here today to talk to us about the messaging we project to the world about our business and how we can become even more laser-sharp focused when landing the exact kind of people we want.

When she introduced herself, Lain mentioned her two dogs — a Yorkie Poo named Bogie and a Shih Tzu-Pug mix named Zeus. Bella loved the idea of asking guests about their pets and thanked her for the inspiration. Lain shared that she has been a writer her whole life, with experience as a journalist, in marketing communications, and in agency public relations. She even ran her own online business in the scrapbooking niche, focusing on storytelling. About two years ago, she transitioned to helping businesses tell their stories in a way that resonates with their audiences.

Bella noted that Lain had recently been a panelist at the BlogHer conference and emphasized that she clearly knows her stuff. When asked what mistakes small businesses make on their websites, Lain said one of the biggest is telling a story they want to tell instead of the story their audience wants to hear. She explained that business owners often craft a “capital T, capital S” story of their business and then broadcast it everywhere — on websites, social media, and beyond — without considering who’s on the receiving end.

Instead, they need to focus on their audience’s mindset. For example, a person scrolling through Facebook isn’t actively seeking a pet sitter, whereas someone searching “pet sitter near me” on Google is in problem-solving mode. Those are two completely different audiences, and your messaging must adapt to each environment. You have to be mindful, Lain said — more disruptive on social media (in a positive, curiosity-inducing way) and more solution-oriented when someone is searching for you intentionally.

Bella emphasized how simple yet powerful that distinction is, encouraging listeners to replay that section. She noted how people often just copy and paste the same message across platforms and wonder why it doesn’t work.

Lain then explained what “messaging” really means. When most people think of branding, they think of visuals — logos, fonts, colors. But messaging is your communication branding — the consistent message you send to your audience. It defines who you are, what value you offer, and who you serve. Messaging also helps you stand out from competitors and avoid becoming a commodity.

Lain shared how many pet sitting websites all look and sound the same: “We walk your dog,” “We do overnight visits,” etc. She said she wanted to see businesses define themselves more clearly — perhaps specializing in anxious dogs, older pets with health issues, large breeds, or multi-pet homes. People want to feel like the service was designed for them. When you try to appeal to everyone, you become generic.

She explained that messaging is a tool to carve out your niche and command higher prices. For example, someone with small, anxious dogs would pay more for a sitter who specializes in small breeds with anxiety issues. Similarly, owners of three big, active labs would be drawn to someone who says they specialize in large, energetic dogs. Messaging helps your audience instantly recognize, “That’s me.”

She shared her three-part framework for messaging: define the value you provide, the market you provide it to, and what makes you unique within that market. Bella confirmed that this would be included in the show notes, along with Lain’s free downloadable worksheet to help listeners identify their strengths, niche, and voice.

They also discussed how messaging can focus on solving problems: for example, reaching out to working pet parents who feel guilty leaving their dogs home all day. Tapping into those pain points is powerful. Lain reminded listeners that most pet care services are luxuries, so you must connect emotionally and empathetically to why people want what you offer, not just what it costs.

Bella added that pet sitters can also stand out by highlighting things like online scheduling — something many professionals overlook. She explained how phrases like “It’s as easy as 1-2-3” or “Book your sitter instantly” convey convenience, which is a huge selling point against apps like Rove

We're taking it back to episode 93 on this edition of the Best of Bella series, when Bella had the sincere pleasure of interviewing Mari Smith. She knows everything that is going on and she is the nicest, most approachable woman Bella has met in the social media space. They had fun talking about the ins and outs of social media and Bella wanted to bring her to you all again.

Original Show Notes:

Navigating social media can be pretty difficult, especially when it comes to your online business. Often referred to as “the Queen of Facebook,” Mari Smith is hailed as the premier Facebook marketing expert and one of the most influential and knowledgeable new media thought leaders in the world. In fact, Facebook headhunted and hired Mari to go on tour with the company to teach business owners across the United States how to grow their businesses using Facebook!  Forbes recently described Mari as, “… the preeminent Facebook expert. Even Facebook asks for her help.”

 

Mari is an in-demand speaker and travels the world to keynote and train at major events. She also serves as Brand Ambassador for many leading companies.  She has over 1.7 million followers on her various social channels and is the author of The New Relationship Marketing and coauthor of Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day.

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want To Miss:

How did you become such an expert on Facebook? In order to become an expert, you have to put in 10,000 hours into your skill. Be unwavering in your focus. FOCUS= Follow One Course Until Successful. It helps you keep on track.

Overall it is a universal mindset with fear-mongering. You can get really upset or you can be a calming voice of how to overcome or make a change regarding a problem you see, like pet food recalls or puppy mills. Mari encourages us to be the calming voice.

You have to be mindful of what you post for relationship marketing. Treat people with respect and use proper social etiquette even online. Ask yourself “would I be comfortable with this…appearing on the front page or on a google search. Even more, would you be okay with your Mom seeing it? Quiet your ego and try to diffuse tangents. Don’t be drawn into petty conversations. There are always screenshots that will be your digital ink.

How can you add value to your business with Facebook? You become a leader in social media by using groups and stories. Have a good strategy for your stories and you easily convert your personal Instagram to a business Instagram and have those post directly to your Facebook, which drives traffic to your website.

 

Show Highlights:

Mari’s expertise in Facebook and how she got started on her path to becoming the “Queen of Facebook.” [3:30]

How to FOCUS for success [7:45]

Creating meaningful relationships on Facebook [10:50]

New business skills that everyone needs [14:10]

Benefits of setting up Facebook Groups [16:30]

Advice on how to build your online community [24:00]

Links:

Find more about Mari Smith and her new book at www.marismith.com

Check out The 12 Biggest Social Media Marketing Mistakes Businesses Make at http://www.marismith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/12_Social_Media_Mistakes-MariSmith.pdf

Downloadable Offer:

Free PDF download. Mari Smith’s recommended Video Gear List for Facebook Live broadcasts:www.marismith.com/fblive

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Transcript:

This is episode 155 of The Best of Bella. We're going to take you back to episode 93 when I had the sincere pleasure to interview the queen of Facebook, Mari Smith. Mari has been sought after by Facebook to be an evangelist for the platform. She knows everything that's going on, but even more than that, she is one of the nicest, most approachable, and delightful women I’ve met in the social media space. Mari is definitely the Janet Jackson, Madonna, or David Bowie of the industry — that caliber of celebrity in social media. I’m ecstatic that I’m able to bring her to you. We had fun in our interview talking about the ins and outs of social media, what people are doing right, what people are doing wrong, and I wanted to bring her back again. She’s fantastic, and if you’re not already following her, you absolutely should. She always has the latest breaking news and insights. She’s one of my personal go-to resources, and I’m proud to call her a friend. Without further ado, here is The Best of Bella with Mari Smith, a replay of episode 93.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready — Bella’s got your chute. Let’s jump!

Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today I’ve got the queen of Facebook to bring to you. I am so excited! For those of you who do not know Mari Smith, you are going to become a follower of hers just like I am. This woman is absolutely incredible. She is often referred to as the queen of Facebook. She is Facebook’s premier marketing expert and one of the most influential and knowledgeable people in the world when it comes to the platform. Facebook actually headhunted her — that’s how amazing she is. Mari has gone on tour with the company to teach business owners across the United States how to grow their businesses using Facebook.

Forbes recently described Mari as the premier Facebook expert — even Facebook asks her for help. Mari is an in-demand speaker who travels the world to keynote major events. In fact, I just saw her at Social Media Marketing World. She also serves as a brand ambassador for many companies. She’s such a wealth of information, and her Facebook Lives are always full of value. She has over 1.7 million followers on Facebook and is the author of The New Relationship Marketing and co-author of Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day. Mari, welcome to the show and thank you for being here today.

Mari shares that she emigrated from Scotland to San Diego in 1999 with only 50 British pounds in her pocket, two suitcases, and knowing just one person — the one who invited her to come. She had always dreamed of being an entrepreneur and saw the move as a defining moment in her life. By 2007, she was running her own information marketing and e-commerce consulting business, doing coaching, webinars, and public speaking. That’s when Facebook “fell into her lap” on May 4th, 2007 — Star Wars Day. She had been invited to beta-test an app, so she joined Facebook and instantly felt something magical about it — its blue color, its uniform layout, and its ability to create genuine connections.

Mari recalls that she was suddenly able to reach out and build friendships with people she had long admired in marketing and business. It opened new dimensions of connection. She was hooked. Over time, she became deeply immersed in understanding the platform, and as she puts it, her passion and enthusiasm for Facebook have never wavered since 2007. She spent years mastering it — putting in her “10,000 hours” of study and practice — until her expertise earned her global recognition.

Mari explains that focus was her secret: “Follow One Course Until Successful.” That was her theme word in 2007, and she’s chosen a new focus word each year since then — from “team” to “commitment” to “leverage.” That unwavering focus helped her become the leading voice in her field. She acknowledges Facebook’s flaws — privacy, support issues, and PR challenges — but encourages business owners to look for opportunity instead of complaint. Her role has often been to calm fear and confusion when changes happen, helping people see how to still use Facebook to grow their business. She strives to be a voice of reason, balancing advocacy for both Facebook and business owners.

When asked about meaningful relationships on Facebook, Mari explains the essence of her book The New Relationship Marketing. Relationship marketing isn’t new, but the digital aspect is — learning how to create that “know, like, and trust” factor online. She emphasizes mindfulness, etiquette, and respect — especially when disagreements happen. Before posting, she advises asking three questions:

Would I be comfortable seeing this on the front page of The New York Times?

Would I be okay with this appearing in a Google search years from now?

Would I be proud for my mom to see this?

She calls that last one “The Mom Test.”

Mari also suggests asking, “What is my deepest intent?” If your intent is to show off or prove you’re right, pause. Instead, lead with service and positivity. She points out that some people damage their reputation by criticizing others online, and she chooses not to engage in negativity. Everything you post leaves a “digital ink” trail, she says, even in private groups — so be intentional.

She believes in “soft skills” — empathy, active listening, compassion, and understanding. Learn to read between the lines in people’s posts and recognize that social media often shows curated versions of real life. A kind word can make someone’s day, and relationships online should be nurtured, not burned.

Mari and Bella then discuss how small businesses, like pet sitters and dog walkers, can use Facebook Groups to build community. Mari notes that Facebook has invested heavily in groups — holding Community Summits, adding features like units and leaderboards, and hiring more staff for group development. Groups boost well-being and engagement by connecting people who care about similar things. For a business owner, creating something like “Dog Moms of Scottsdale” is a great way to establish leadership, visibility, and top-of-mind awareness.

They also dive into Facebook Stories and Instagram Stories....

Bella chose this episode to be part of the Best Of Bella series because it is with Joey Coleman. She first saw him live at Social Media Marketing World 2017 and his presentation skills blew her out of the water. Without further ado, she wants all of you to experience Joey and his First 100 Days methodology.

Time Stamp

How has Joey done and accomplished the things in his life? [4:40]

What is the First 100 Days methodology? [8:10]

Is there a direct correlation between telling stories and solving problems and value? [12:50]

How can business owners create a meaningful customer experience? [15:00]

How can employees get involved? [28:45]

Where can everyone find and connect with Joey? [30:50]

 

 

Highlights

On this episode, Bella catches up with Joey Coleman, Chief Experience Composer of Design Symphony. They talk about things you can do as a business owner to create a meaningful customer experience like:

Sending personalized gifts to your customers seemingly at random.

Sending handwritten notes thanking them for trusting you with their fur baby.

Keeping track of simple things like the pet’s birthday and sending acknowledgments.

Doing a monthly quick check of the pet (for any issues).

Giving the pet a bath unexpectedly.

Sending quick personalized videos of you and the pet to the client.

About Our Guest:

For over a decade, Joey has helped organizations retain their best customers and turn them into raving fans via his entertaining and actionable keynotes, workshops, and consulting projects.

His First 100 Days methodology helps fuel successful customer experience endeavors at companies and organizations around the world.

As a recognized expert in customer experience design and an award-winning speaker at national and international conferences, Joey specializes in creating unique, attention-grabbing customer experiences.

He works with companies ranging from small VC-funded start-ups to large Fortune 500s, with hundreds of mid-size businesses in-between.

Joey developed his narrative skills as a criminal defense trial attorney, advised and counseled Fortune 500 companies as a business consultant, honed his communications and messaging skills at the White House, and did things for the U.S. Secret Service and the CIA that he can’t talk about publicly.

His design and artwork has been displayed in museums, featured in juried shows, and graced publications in the U.S. and abroad. When not traveling the world (48 countries and counting) for keynote presentations, client workshops, and quality beach time, Joey enjoys watching magnificent sunsets from his mountain-top home in Colorado with his wife and two young sons.

Transcript:

This is episode 154 of Best of Bella. I chose episode 49 to replay because it is from Joey Coleman. I first saw him live at Social Media Marketing World 2017, and his presentation skills blew me out of the water. This man is so incredible and so personable. But even more than that, his background is just mind-blowing. He has done things like become a criminal defense trial attorney, worked at the White House, and did things with the U.S. Secret Service and CIA he can't talk about publicly. He's designed artwork that's been displayed in museums. This man has lived the life of many people at such a young age. But more importantly, and for you today, he has this thing called The First 100 Days. He was so incredible that not only did I have him on the podcast about a year and a half ago, I also had him as a guest in the mastermind, and he just blew everyone out of the water. So without further ado, I want you to experience Joey Coleman and The 100 Days Methodology.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready — Bella's got your chute. Let's jump!

Welcome to Bella in Your Business. I'm your host, Bella Vasta, with Jump Consulting. And today, I don't even know where to begin. Joey Coleman is my guest, and you guys, listen up to this biography because this is going to explain to you exactly why you need to stop whatever you're doing, put down the laundry, pull over — stop walking the… well, don't stop walking the dog — and listen to what we're about to say. When organizations like Hyatt Hotels, NASA, the World Bank, and Zappos need to build their customer experience, they call this guy you're about to hear — Joey Coleman. For over a decade, Joey's helped organizations retain their best customers and turn them into raving fans through his entertaining and actionable keynotes, workshops, and consulting projects.

His First 100 Days methodology helps fuel successful customer experience endeavors at companies and organizations around the world. As a recognized expert in customer experience design and an award-winning speaker at national and international conferences, Joey specializes in creating unique, attention-grabbing customer experiences. I can definitely vouch for that because he threw it down at Social Media Marketing World — that's where we first met. He works with companies ranging from small VC-funded startups to large Fortune 500s, covering the gamut with hundreds of mid-sized businesses in between. Joey developed his narrative skills as a criminal defense trial attorney — talk about a Renaissance man — and advised Fortune 500 companies as a business consultant. He honed his communication and messaging skills at the White House and did things for the Secret Service that he can't even talk about. He's designed artwork displayed in museums and featured in juried shows in the U.S. and abroad. When not traveling the world to over 48 countries and counting for keynote presentations and client workshops, he enjoys watching magnificent sunsets from his mountaintop home in Colorado with his wife and two kids.

Joey, anything you're about to say right now, I'm going to listen to because your world experiences just blow my mind. He thanks Bella and says it’s his pleasure. They reminisce about meeting at Social Media Marketing World and how approachable he was. Bella mentions how personable he is and how his openness makes people feel like old friends. She asks if he would call his life path a reinvention or simply living life to the fullest because he sounds like a Renaissance man. Joey explains that being a Renaissance man has been a goal of his. He believes in making the most of life and has never been fulfilled by focusing on only one thing. He’s motivated by curiosity and driven by a desire to understand why people do what they do — what drives decisions and behavior.

That curiosity carried him through his many careers — from law to consulting to art — and helped him influence others’ decisions. He describes how, as a criminal defense lawyer, his job was to overcome jurors’ biases and help them focus on facts. That same mindset — studying human behavior and shaping experiences — drives his work today. Bella calls him a professional storyteller who can recreate a story anywhere in the world. Joey agrees, saying storytelling is one of humanity’s oldest traditions. From the days around the fire to modern digital tools, stories remain how we learn, decide, and connect.

Bella mentions that she’s studying storytelling herself and encourages listeners to ask, “Am I telling a story or just talking at people?” She then transitions into the First 100 Days philosophy. Joey explains that it’s a methodology developed over a decade that focuses on creating remarkable experiences during the first 100 days after a customer decides to work with you. If you succeed in those 100 days, you’ll have a customer for life. If not, they’ll likely leave. The goal is to connect deeply and emotionally early on, reinforcing their decision and showing that they matter.

Most businesses, he says, are too focused on numbers — customers, growth, payroll — and forget that the core is emotion. The best stories hit at an emotional level. He uses Star Wars as an example: the plot facts are boring, but the characters’ emotional journeys are what make it powerful. The same is true for business. A dog walking company, for instance, isn’t just walking dogs. It’s providing emotional relief — guilt-free care for pet owners who love their pets but lack time. That guilt and emotional burden are real, and dog walkers must constantly reassure clients that it’s okay — that their dogs are loved and cared for.

Bella points out that many in the industry struggle with apps and tech companies undercutting prices. She asks if storytelling and customer care can increase perceived value. Joey says absolutely. Price only matters when customers have no other criteria to judge you by. If someone can beat you on price, it’s because you haven’t given them enough emotional or experiential value. He explains that dog walking itself is a commodity — anyone can do it. What makes it special is how you do it.

He suggests sending clients random but regular updates — photos, videos, or texts about their dogs. It keeps them emotionally connected. He warns against being predictable (“Every day at 10 a.m. a photo”) — instead, surprise them. He also recommends thoughtful gifts. If you earn $500 a month from a client, set aside $20 for gifting. Maybe give a new leash, toy, or at the one-year mark, a framed photo of their dog from a pet photographer. The goal is to create emotional moments clients will never forget.

Bella loves that and emphasizes the importance of systems — recording birthdays, scheduling follow-ups, automating reminders. Joey agrees, saying ink fades slower than memory — so write it down. Add personal questions like the dog’s birthday to intake forms, but don’t ask for info you won’t use. And stop giving coupons as “gifts” — those are benefits for you, not the customer.

Bella then asks how to apply this specifically to the first 100 days. Joey says start by thanking them....

Welcome back to another episode in the “Best of Bella” series. Bella chose this episode with Carey Conley, because her story and purpose on this planet are so inspiring. Bella and Carey talk all about vision and if you let yourself soak in this episode it will set you on the path to success.

Show Highlights

Why does Carey say that "Vision is Victory" especially for entrepreneurs? [3:40]

How do you get through the stumbling blocks to get your vision down on paper? [8:20]

What happens when you try to run a business without a clear, concise vision? [13:50]

What are the victories that come from getting clear on your vision? [15:15]

How important is community and accountability in a business? [17:20]

What is the most important thing entrepreneurs need to create the life and business of their dreams? [21:20]

Original Show Notes

On this episode, Bella talks with Carey Conley, speaker and Co-Creator of Infinite Nation; a community created for skill building, mentorship, and community for aspiring leaders and business owners.

Bella and Carey talk about:

Why “Vision is Victory”….especially for entrepreneurs

The biggest stumbling blocks for people to actually put a vision down on paper and follow through with it

What happens when people try to run a business without a clear, concise vision

Community and accountability

You can find out more about Carey Conley and the services she offers on her website at InfiniteNation.com.  You can email her directly at [email protected]

Transcript:

Welcome to Bella in Your Business. This is episode 153, The Best of Bella. Why, hello there, jumpers. This is Bella Vasta, your host with Bella in Your Business. And today on the series, I'm going to keep it going — Best of Bella. I am bringing to you my good friend, Carrie Conley. Carrie was on episode 39, and this woman is just such a wealth of information. The way that we met is pretty interesting, and I believe we talk about it in the podcast. My brother was her Uber driver, and she has since become truly one of my good friends. I meet her for happy hour quite regularly, and this woman's story and her purpose on this planet are so inspiring. So inspiring that I actually had her come and speak at the first Jump into Paradise retreat I did here in Paradise Valley, Arizona in 2018. She had the whole room crying, and her actual methods are so incredibly life-changing and moving that if you allow yourself to soak in this next episode, it could really put you on the path to success. And I don't say that lightly. Carrie is not only a great teacher, but she's also a practitioner. She practices everything that she preaches, and when you hear this woman's story, you'll know exactly what I mean. Without further ado, here is episode 153 featuring episode 39 with the incredible Carrie Conley.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready — Bella’s got your chute. Let’s jump!

Welcome to Bella in Your Business. I am Bella Vasta, and I’m here today with Carrie Conley, a speaker and a co-creator of Infinite Nation. She has a community created for skill building, mentorship, and support for aspiring leaders and business owners. Carrie, how are you today? I am fabulous. How are you? I am wonderful. I want to tell everyone how we met because it’s such an off-the-wall story, and it shows how you have to be open to things in life. You guys, I was actually watching Carrie host this big event in Phoenix online because one of my friends, Gail Yacoblitt from Networking Phoenix, was there posting about how awesome it was. So Carrie was on my radar, and then out of the blue, I get a Facebook message from her saying, “Hey, your brother was my Lyft driver, and he told me about you. I thought I’d like to connect because I love meeting people.” It was the most serendipitous yet bizarre thing that happened. It was so cool, and we had such an electric conversation that I said, “Carrie, I need to get you on and have you influence my listeners because you are just a spitfire and have so much energy, excitement, and a very valuable message.”

So let’s get into this whole thing about vision. You talk a lot about vision — and it’s none of this hokey pokey or fluffy stuff. It’s actual, incredible, life-changing work. So why do you say “vision is victory,” especially for entrepreneurs?

Carrie explains that vision is her signature topic. After college in the 80s, she followed the traditional path — getting a good degree and job — but found herself changing jobs every two years because she couldn’t fit the mold. One day, a mentor told her to figure out what she wanted in life first and then build a career around it. So in 1988, she took a day off, sat with a legal pad, and wrote out her ideal life in detail: where she lived, her family life, travels, and the kind of mother she wanted to be. She even wrote that one day she’d like to be a speaker and trainer on vision building and goal setting. That day changed her life because she believes she tapped into her true purpose — what God intended her to do. A few years later, she joined Arbonne, built a business to stay home with her kids, and taught others the power of vision. She went to the top of the company and later began running vision workshops.

She explains that most entrepreneurs think they have a vision but it’s usually vague. Without a crystal-clear, detailed written vision, they can’t make the right choices with their time, money, or relationships — they’re all over the map. But once that vision is in writing, the path reveals itself and the how begins to form.

Bella agrees and points out how many people feel overwhelmed and anxious because they don’t have that clarity. She suggests that when everything feels chaotic, going back to a clear vision can guide you. Carrie agrees, saying we live in an age of constant distraction. Many entrepreneurs feel completely overwhelmed and struggle to focus on one thing long enough to move forward. A written vision helps anchor them.

In her workshops, Carrie has participants describe exactly what they want their life to look like three years from now. She walks them through why vision is crucial — most people don’t even realize how important it is. She compares having no vision to getting in a car in Boston without a map or GPS but trying to reach Pier 39 in San Francisco. You might end up anywhere on the West Coast. That’s why having direction matters.

Carrie says one major stumbling block is that no one sits entrepreneurs down and makes them write their vision. That’s why she hosts her big events and one-day workshops — to get people to physically write it out. Though her workbook, Vision is Victory, is available on Amazon, most people don’t do it on their own. In her sessions, she guides them to write it down with a specific timeframe. Many people say they’ll get to their “Pier 39” someday — but without deadlines, it stays a dream.

She emphasizes that putting timeframes on goals separates expensive hobbies from six- or seven-figure businesses. Entrepreneurs often run very expensive hobbies because they never set income goals or break them into 90-day increments with specific steps to convert clients. Vision plus structure equals progress.

Bella loves that point and notes how important it is to track outcomes, not just “throw pasta at the wall.” Carrie adds that when entrepreneurs finally define their vision, they discover their zone of genius — what they’re truly great at and what brings income and joy. They can focus 90–95% of their time on those activities and delegate the rest, leading to more balance and peace. Most people start businesses for freedom but end up enslaved to them; having a vision helps them reclaim their life.

The biggest result she sees is measurable success. She’s not interested in fluffy coaching — she wants results. Every idea her clients bring, she asks, “How much money will this make in the next 30 to 90 days?” because cash flow proves progress. Vision gives people clarity, focus, and a system for making money instead of spinning their wheels.

They then discuss the importance of community and accountability. Carrie says it’s critical — second only to vision. When she started with Arbonne, she had a ready-made community cheering her on. But when she later began working with independent entrepreneurs, she noticed many were isolated, working alone, and giving up because they lacked support. She shares that less than 6% of entrepreneurs in the U.S. ever break six figures, and most quit between years two and four — not for lack of effort, but because they weren’t making money and didn’t have encouragement. Community is what keeps people going.

That’s why she co-created Infinite Nation — to bring entrepreneurs together in live mastermind groups. When people share their challenges, they realize they’re not alone and can lift each other up. Bella agrees, saying isolation kills businesses. She gives an example from her own “Healthier for Me” group for pet sitters, where she encourages members to share not only successes but also struggles. She stresses that transparency helps others who might be silently facing the same issues.

Bella adds that even introverts can find connection online, and that we all need to choose who we spend time with — because the five closest people in your circle shape you. She urges listeners to evaluate their vision and fight the epidemic of isolation.

Carrie concludes by saying entrepreneurs must decide whether they want to keep running an expensive hobby or commit to learning how to build a profitable business. Some people realize they’re happy keeping it as a hobby, and that’s fine — as long as they’re honest about it. The key is truth and self-awareness.

Bella agrees, saying honesty about what you want prevents frustration....

This episode is part of the "Best of Bella" series. Bella chose this episode with Marcus Sheridan as one of the best for many reasons. Marcus is one of her favorite human beings, they go on a deep dive of content marketing and his book "They Ask, You Answer". She doesn't want you to be making the mistake that she sees others doing when blogging, even if you've listened to this episode before you'll want to give it another listen.

Bella and Marcus discuss:

The philosophy of "They ask, you answer"

Why business owners are afraid of just giving honest answers to potential customers

The five subjects that move the economy.

The dangers of "Ostrich marketing"

How important video is becoming to the marketing process

Assignment selling

Face-to-face sales appointments without you being there.

Show Highlights

How did Bella and Marcus meet? [2:50]

Who is Marcus Sheridan? [3:55]

How did Marcus realize he needed to slow down and start answering questions? [8:45]

What are the five subjects that move the economy? [12:05]

What is "Ostrich Marketing"? [13:35]

How important is video to the marketing process? [15:20]

What is assignment selling? [20:05]

How are face-to-face sales changing? [23:20]

Original Show Notes

On this episode Bella speaks with Marcus Sheridan, a former pool guy turned digital sales and marketing expert. He is the President of The Sales Lion and a Partner at River Pools and Spas.

Links

Marcus Sheridan's book: They Ask You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today's Digital Consumer (available on Amazon)

You can find out more about Marcus at https://www.thesaleslion.com.

Transcript:

This is episode 152 of Bella in Your Business, The Best of Bella. Today we’re taking you back to episode number 36 with one of my favorite human beings in the marketing space — maybe even in the world — my good friend Marcus Sheridan. If you’ve never heard his name, stop what you’re doing right now and look him up because this man is not only knowledgeable but inspiring, and he’s influenced numerous pet sitters and dog walkers to take action.

We go on a deep dive about content marketing and what that really means. Content marketing is basically anything you put out there — video, audio, written, or pictorial — and how that can help your business. I picked this episode for The Best of Bella because I don’t want you to make the mistake I see so often. People finally start blogging, but they’re not blogging to help themselves. Their blogs are, frankly, useless. They don’t help, and they end up competing with big generic blogs like “Pet Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe This Summer.” Snooze.

In this episode, Marcus helps you understand how making content more local and answering the real questions people are searching for will help tremendously. I don’t want you to blog just to blog. I want you to understand what creating good content really means. Without further ado, here’s my interview with Marcus Sheridan.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where I’ll discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready — I’ve got your chute. Let’s jump!

Welcome to Bella in Your Business! I’m so excited today because I’ve got Marcus Sheridan with me, the self-proclaimed “used-to-be pool guy” turned digital marketer. I remember the first time I met him — at a small conference in Las Vegas back in 2012 with maybe a dozen people. I remember how captivated everyone was and how he knew everyone’s name in the room. That moment changed my life. At the time, I was still running my pet sitting company, and Marcus told me I could do anything. Fast forward, I sold that company and now run my coaching business — and it’s largely because of that one conversation.

Marcus says he started a swimming pool company with two friends in 2001, and things were great until the 2008 market crash nearly bankrupted them. By early 2009, he had 16 employees sitting at home, was three weeks overdrawn, and had maxed out all the credit cards. Desperate, he turned to the internet and started studying inbound and content marketing. What he realized was simple: if he obsessed over the questions customers asked every day — their fears, worries, and concerns — and answered them honestly on his website through text and video, he might just save his business.

That’s how They Ask, You Answer was born. By obsessively addressing customer questions online, his company became the most trafficked swimming pool website in the world, pulling in 600,000 to 700,000 visitors a month during the summer. That success led to manufacturing pools and building a national dealer network. Other businesses began asking him to teach them how he did it, and soon he was speaking around the world about marketing, sales, and trust.

Marcus says he’s proud not only of the business but of how he’s maintained balance with family. He even started a video series called The Balance to show what it looks like to win both at work and at home. He said he got the idea after watching Gary Vaynerchuk and realizing that while Gary’s energy is great, not everyone can live at that pace. When he asked a group in Scotland if anyone ever felt depressed watching Gary’s DailyVee, hands went up. They said they wanted to “win big at home” too. That’s when Marcus decided to show what real balance looks like — not perfection, but progress.

We laugh about his “wall tiles” for his show and I tell him I want to earn one. Then I ask how he realized the power of simply answering people’s questions. Marcus says most businesses still act like it’s the 1990s, hiding information until a customer shows up. Back then, a car salesman could say, “Come on in and I’ll tell you the price.” That doesn’t work anymore. Today’s buyers are the most educated in history, and businesses that ignore that are doomed.

He says his lack of formal business training was actually a blessing — it kept him from overcomplicating things. He just asked, “What do my customers want to know?” and answered it. For pools, that meant tackling questions like “How much does a fiberglass pool cost?”, “What are the problems with fiberglass pools?”, or “Fiberglass vs. concrete pools — which is better?” Competitors avoided those questions, thinking if they didn’t mention alternatives, people wouldn’t notice. Marcus laughs at that — of course they’ll find it! So why not be the one to teach them?

I relate it to pet sitters who say, “I don’t want to talk about other companies.” But transparency builds trust. That’s when Marcus shares his “Big 5” — the five topics that move every buying decision: cost, problems, comparisons, reviews, and “best of” lists. Every single industry can use these. People always research how much something costs, what the problems are, how it compares, reviews, and what’s the best. He says it’s amazing how few companies actually use that because they’re afraid.

Marcus talks about the “ostrich effect” — how businesses bury their heads and hope customers don’t ask tough questions. But ignoring problems doesn’t make them go away. Addressing them builds trust and can even turn weaknesses into strengths.

Then I bring up the part of his book about video, because Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg has said video is the future. Marcus agrees, saying by 2019, 80% of online content will be video. People consume information visually now. It doesn’t matter if you don’t like being on camera — your customer does. If they want video, you must give it to them.

He talks about creating the “80% video.” In every sales meeting, 80% of the questions are the same, so make one video that answers them all and send it before the meeting. Then the prospect sees your face, hears your voice, and learns your approach before they ever meet you — it builds instant trust. He tells a story about how, before video, when he showed up for appointments, kids would yell, “Mom, Dad, the pool guy’s here.” After video, they’d yell, “Mom, Dad, the guy from the video’s here.” And eventually, “Mom, Dad, Marcus is here.” That’s when he knew video had changed everything.

I remind him how he used to confirm appointments by asking, “Did you get a chance to watch the video I sent?” If they hadn’t, he’d reschedule — that flipped the dynamic completely. Marcus calls that “assignment selling.” Both sides have skin in the game. He compares it to marriage — both must contribute. For years, he thought prospects asked dumb questions, until he realized they were only uninformed because he hadn’t taught them yet. Once he required clients to consume content first, his close rate skyrocketed.

Marcus says it’s incredible how much people will read or watch before buying. Most businesses think customers only view two or three pages, but serious buyers — especially pet parents trusting someone with their dog — will read or watch everything.

I point out how in his book he showed that after a visitor views 12 pages, the closing rate soars. Pet sitters often say they don’t know what to blog about, but his five topics alone give endless content. I tell him how I applied it — embedding videos and links on my service pages — and it worked.

Marcus says that’s the goal: become the best teacher in your industry. When customers have a question, they should think of you first. He reminds us to “embrace the messy.” Everyone has to go through being bad before becoming good. Too many wait for perfection. Progress beats perfection every time.

I tell him I hate to wrap up but can’t wait to see him again at Social Media Marketing World. He says it’s one of the most energizing events out there. I mention I’ll be leaving my daughter Olivia for the first time, but I know investing in myself is worth it. We laugh about how many pet sitters will be there — it’ll feel like a dorm full of sorority sisters.

Before we end, I ask how listeners can get the book....

This episode is part of the "Best of Bella" series. Bella chose this episode with a former state auditor as one of the best, because she loves being able to bring unique experts to you. If you missed this episode the first time around you'll be pretty surprised by what you hear.

Main Topics

Bella and Katrina first discuss a big controversy in the pet sitting industry, which is misclassification of employees as either independent contractors or employees. Katrina outlines some key indicators that auditors look for in making that determination:

Is there an actual contract between you and the contractor?

Are your payments to them regular in nature?

How much control do you have over them with regards to work hours, uniform, training, etc.?

Do they offer the same services to other companies through their own business?

Are you providing them all the tools, training, and supplies they need?

Basically, consider how loose is the relationship?

They also discuss why they think business owners are so apprehensive about audits, what documents a business owner should have at their disposal if they are being audited, and whether business owners should take their lawyer and accountant to the audit. Katrina also gives some insight into what triggers an audit.

Show Highlights

Who is Katrina Kadyszewski? [4:10]

How does interpretation come into play with auditors? [6:20]

Which documents should you have when being audited? [10:55]

What is the goal of an auditor? [15:20]

Should you get your lawyer or CPA involved when being audited? [17:15]

How are businesses chosen for audits? [22:40]

How far back should you be keeping records? [24:45]

What is the VCSP (Voluntary Classification Settlement Program)? [26:00]

Original Show Notes

In this episode of “Bella In Your Business”, Bella talks with Katrina Kadyszewski, a former state auditor with the State of Connecticut.

Katrina has over 16 years of experience working in a variety of financial positions. She started in the brokerage industry with a Series 7, 63 and 65 and life and health license, and then transitioned to audit work for the CT Department of Revenue Services. She then left to support small businesses in their efforts to get organized for expansion.

Katrina spent 3 of her almost 8 years with the CT Dept. of Revenue Services in the Business and Employment Tax Audit Unit, focused primarily on payroll tax issues. The last 5 years she has worked as a Corporation Tax auditor, traveling across the US auditing largely Fortune 500 companies.

Resources

There are resources out there to help small business owners. Katrina and Bella suggest a few, like the IRS’s  20-factor test to help you determine employee or independent contractor status and amnesty programs that exist to help encourage business owners to make the right switch.

Have you ever been audited? Want to hear about pet sitters who have been audited? I have interviewed a handful and reported about it all here.

Transcript:

This is episode 151 of Bella in Your Business, The Best of Bella. Today I am featuring a Best of Bella episode. I want to take you all the way back to episode 20, which if you've started listening to us recently, you might not have had the pleasure to listen to it. I actually was able to track down a former Connecticut state auditor and what we discussed on this call was really remarkable.

I love it because for a few reasons. One, I really love being the first in the industry to do anything. And to the best of my knowledge, I don't know any other industry leader interviewing auditors and talking specifically about pet sitting and dog walking. Second, I love it when I can bring these unique experts to you and have these candid conversations. I think you'll be pretty surprised what her reflection was and what she had to say about business owners actually reaching out to the government and asking for their advice. So without further ado, enjoy this episode.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready. Bella's got your chute. Let's jump.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella from Jump Consulting, and today I have a real special treat for all you listeners. Today I have Katrina Kottachevsky, who has over 16 years of experience working in a variety of financial positions. She started in the brokerage industry with a series seven, 63, and 65 health license, and then transitioned to audit work for the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services before leaving to support small businesses in their efforts to get organized for expansion. Katrina spent three of her almost eight years with the Connecticut Department of Revenue in the Business and Employment Tax Audit Unit, which is why she's here today. She focused primarily on payroll tax issues. The last five years, she worked as a corporation tax auditor, traveling across the U.S., auditing largely Fortune 500 companies.

So Katrina, thank you for being with us here today. I'm excited to be here. I think I mentioned to you, nobody ever wants to talk to an auditor or a government worker at that. They're probably too shy or too afraid they're going to say the wrong thing. But today we're going to blow the lid off of it. Katrina, as you know, I kind of gave you a little background, and in the pet industry there's a big controversy right now going on. It actually has been many years in the making about misclassification of workers being independent contractors or employees. And I've been very vocal. I take the stance of employees. I've even interviewed other pet sitters who have been audited. In fact, if you look back at episode seven of Bella in Your Business, you hear about one Texas worker who was audited and switched to employees because the Texas labor force told her that because her workers didn't provide dog bowls, she therefore was applying materials and she had employees. It was just crazy. And Katrina, I know you listened to that one as well to kind of prepare for this, but I just am so excited to get your take on this. And I want everyone to know too that we met through good old-fashioned networking, which I always encourage people to do. Just talk to people, figure out what their story is, what they've done, and you never know what you can learn from it. So for those of you who don't believe in networking, Katrina and I are the fruit of both of our networking efforts. So welcome again. Tell me more about yourself. Tell me the down-low of who Katrina really is, because I told the whole accolades, but now why don't you give us an insight to who you are and about your auditing years.

Okay, well, like you mentioned, I initially started out in brokerage. It was just something that I fell into following an internship that I had in college, but it really wasn't a great fit in my opinion to have a 21-year-old step into the workforce and start telling 65-year-olds where to put their nest eggs. I just felt like they should have a lot more market experience than I did. I stuck it out and gave it a shot, but ultimately it wasn't a great fit for me. So then I switched basically from one of the fastest-paced industries to one of the slowest-paced: government work. I know everybody has their preconceived notions about people who work for the government. And I mean, I don't want to say that they're all untrue, but there are some of us who work very hard to do the right thing as public servants.

So I actually joined the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. They had received some funding to initiate this business and employment tax audit group, which previously had not existed. There were about 10 of us hired on at the same time to address payroll tax and other business employment tax issues. And it was exciting to be part of something new. We had a really fresh group of people who were excited to learn together and grow together. And I mean, that was one thing that struck me the most when I listened to that podcast about the woman in Texas and her experience with that Texas Workforce Commission. It sounds like that was a really unfortunate experience with people who maybe just kind of took advantage or felt some power they had there, but it just sounds like a very unreasonable experience. It definitely wasn’t one that I had. We were all very focused on educating taxpayers and working with them to get them up to speed on what they needed to do.

Just if I can stop you there, because I don't want this point to go by the wayside. You said unreasonable, but I think that's just the very place that a lot of small business owners’ fears come from — that we've learned and heard so many stories of being the subject to one auditor's interpretation of classification or payroll taxes or whatever it might be. I've even interviewed some people where it’s mostly the state that audits them. They’ve said, “Hey, do it X, Y, Z way.” So they do it, and then a year later they get audited again and get penalized for doing it that way, being told, “No, you should actually be doing it A, B, C way.” These small business owners feel so helpless. So I think you definitely perked my ears when you said unreasonable because I feel like — and I'd love for you to shed light on this — that’s where a lot of the fear starts.

That’s 100% true. At the end of the day, I think it was the management style to say we’re out there to educate taxpayers and help them report correctly. We're not out there to threaten them or make them fearful of interacting with us. My experience with the state of Connecticut was that we wanted to help people get it right. I can’t speak for other commissions or departments, but I’ve also worked with the IRS and other examiners through the Multistate Tax Commission, and I’d say most of those people were reasonable and wanted to educate and teach the proper way.

That being said,...

My goodness, 150 episodes of Bella In Your Business! That is days worth of me talking in your ears.

When I started my podcast, my friend Shannon Hernandez had a podcast class, and me being the one to follow the trends I wanted to jump on it but I had no idea what I was doing. Sometimes the audio sounded like I was in a tin can and other times it sounded great, but I kept going. I wasn't always consistent starting out, so I decided at the end of 2016 that every Thursday I was going to pump out a podcast and now we've made it to 150 episodes!

Biggest Takeaway You Don’t Want To Miss

Just like anything in life you've got to keep chipping away little by little, that is what gets you places. If you're not where you want to be today that's okay! If you do something little every single day to get closer to your goal you will make progress.

Show Highlights

How do I stay consistent? [1:30]

What is happening with Bella In Your Business after 150 episodes? [3:10]

Where will Bella be this summer? [6:05]

Links

Jump & Scale Webinar: jumpconsulting.net/scale

Social Media Week Lima: nowmarketinggroup.com/social-media-week-lima/

Social Media Day San Diego: socialmediadaysandiego.com/

Jump Into Paradise: jumpintoparadise.com/

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 150 of Bella in Your Business. Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where I discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready — I’ve got your chute. Let’s jump!

Welcome to episode 150 of Bella in Your Business. My goodness, you guys, 150 episodes — that is like days’ worth of me talking in your ear. I remember when I started this podcast. My friend Shannon Hernandez, who actually is a local DJ here in Arizona at 98 KUPD, had this podcast class. I saw and I heard that podcasts were going to be a really big thing. And me, being the one that likes to follow the data and trends and find as many ways into you guys as possible — with videos and blogs and now podcasts — I wanted to jump on it. But admittedly, I had no idea what I was doing.

I remember I probably had four or five different microphones. Sometimes I sounded like I was in a tin can, sometimes the audio sounded great, and for a while, I didn’t realize it, but I was using my earbuds and my hair kept brushing across the microphone. So there was this little staticky sound that came through. But I kept going. Little by little by little by little. I honestly started this podcast about four years ago, and for the first two years, I was not consistent at all. I didn’t get consistent about putting out an episode until almost the end of 2016.

That’s when I really went full-blown. It was after I sold my pet sitting company that I’d had since 2002 — I had it for 14 years. I decided that every Thursday I was going to pump out a podcast. I think we’ve only missed one or two times, and honestly, that was because Thanksgiving or Christmas fell on those days. But you guys, just like anything in life, you’ve got to just keep chipping away.

I just heard my good friend Nick Trevillian say something the other day. He went through a period where, when he turned 30, all of a sudden he lost complete feeling in all of his legs. They told him that he wasn’t going to walk — and he does. He actually runs now. But he got really overweight, really depressed, and the way he got out of that was just running to the end of the street and back, then running around the block, then running a little bit more. And honestly, it’s something I aspire to because, as this podcast has shown you, you just chip away little by little by little.

It’s that consistency that I talked about in episode 50 and episode 100 — that’s what gets you places. So you have to remember, if you’re not where you want to be today — in your life, in your love, in your relationships, in your business — it’s okay, guys. It’s totally okay. If you do something little every single day to get you closer to your goal, you will make progress.

I’ll tell you a secret — many people start and then they stop. Or they don’t continue forward. Speaking of not continuing forward, if you’re on my email list or you follow me on social, you should be — on Instagram I’m @BellaVasta, on Facebook I’m Bella Vasta and Jump Consulting — you know I put it out there: 150 is a big, epic milestone, right? And I was like, should I stop the podcast? Should I keep going?

If you’ve noticed from the last couple episodes, I’ve been doing a lot more solo episodes. Where the podcast has predominantly been interview-style, I’m really feeling the need to start talking to you guys a little bit more. Right now, I’m in my home office talking on my microphone, which hopefully sounds amazing — it’s an Audio-Technica microphone for those of you tech geeks wondering.

I’m just sitting here talking with you guys. I’m about to go — this is probably too much information — but I’m about to rent a car on this app called Turo, T-U-R-O. If you guys want $25 off, ping me. It’s a really cool app where you can rent other people’s cars instead of going to a dealership or down to the airport. I wanted a convertible — I used to drive one and I love them. I’m going to jump in a convertible and drive out to San Diego for the next four days and have an adventure.

So I wanted to sneak this podcast in. By the time it comes out, it’ll be the week I get back from my adventure. If you want to see pictures, you can go to my Instagram. But my point in all this is that I’ve been sitting here thinking — should I end the podcast? And so many of you said, “No, Bella, there’s still more to be had.” Interestingly enough, some pretty amazing people came my way. So what I decided is this:

The next eight episodes are going to be The Best of Bella episodes. I’m going to replay and reintroduce the episodes that I really want you guys to hear for a particular reason. It might be because the guest is absolutely amazing, the message was off the charts, or it just really touched my heart — or maybe I got a lot of great feedback from you guys. So every week this summer, that’s what we’ll be doing.

At the end of the summer, I’ll pick back up with new interviews. I’ve got some really cool ones coming up — one with Tiffany Lewis of Pet and Home Care out in California. She’s had her business for 20 years. Another one is with Lauren Cora, who runs the Pet Industry Coalition, where she helps educate people on independent contractors and gives them resources. I’ve got a couple others lined up that are really interesting too.

This summer I’m also doing a lot of speaking. In June, I’ll be in Lima, Ohio, at Social Media Marketing Week Lima, which is the Midwest’s largest social media event. There will be about 400 people there. I’ll be speaking alongside Angus Nelson, Kelly Noble Mirabella, and Brian Fanzo — all of whom have become my friends, which is really exciting. I kind of feel like I’m going to camp! I know some pet sitters are meeting me there too, so I’m really excited.

By the time this comes out, it’ll actually be next week that that’s happening. At the end of this month — June 28th — I’ll be back in San Diego speaking on stage for a full-day event. And the names on that stage are people like Pat Flynn — I mean, guys, come on! That’s amazing. The topic I speak on a lot is building Facebook groups — building your influence through Facebook groups. I’m having a lot of fun with that.

And then in July, we’ve got the Jump into Paradise retreat. I’ve got six speakers coming to fill the souls and minds of pet sitters and dog walkers. We did it last year and we’re doing it again this year, and I’m super excited. We’ve got an incredible house — it’s got a tennis court, a bocce court, and three kitchens. Three! It’s insane. And of course, a pool and everything else. There’s a lot going on this summer, and that’s another reason I wanted to take a step back.

So I hope you’ll stay with me. I hope you’ll listen to these episodes, because I know if you’re a newer listener, it’s a little harder to keep up with all 150. It’s a lot to binge on! So #BingeOnBella, #BellainYourBusiness — let me know which episodes you’re listening to, which ones you like, and what you’d like to see. This is totally for you guys.

Without further ado, that’s going to conclude episode 150. Go ahead and remember to keep chipping away at whatever it is that you want. Write it down and put it someplace you’ll see it every day — like your bathroom mirror. Do something little every day, because if you do that, all of a sudden you’ll be at 150 episodes.

Until next episode, this is Bella Vasta reminding you that when life gets you down, always keep jumping.

Thanks for jumping with Bella in Your Business. For more information, free articles, free coaching sessions, and more, go to JumpConsulting.net. And remember — I’ve got your chute.

I'm talking all about what to consider before hiring a business coach. Now, this might sound kind of funny coming from me since I am a business coach, but I have realized a lot of stuff from being a coach and from being coached.

I'm wondering if any of you have had a coach or been a coach before. Maybe you remember having a coach when playing a sport in your adolescence, that coach was always there to push you, motivate you, and show you what you're capable of doing. That's what any good coach should do.

Biggest Takeaway You Don’t Want To Miss

Hiring a business coach is a big investment and when picking your coach there are a few things to look for. You should be able to see proof of who they are and proof of their work with others. Look at their style and personality to ensure it aligns with what you want. Check to see how their customer service is and how responsive they are before beginning to work with them. And lastly, can you tell that they will care about you and your business? Before giving anyone your credit card think about these things.

Show Highlights

What has Bella's experience been with coaches? [1:50]

Where is the proof with themselves? [7:15]

Is there proof with others? [8:25]

What is their style? [8:55]

How is their customer service? [10:55]

Do they care? [11:40]

Links

Jump & Scale Webinar: jumpconsulting.net/scale

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 149 of Bella in Your Business. Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where I discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready — I’ve got your chute. Let’s jump.

Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today I am going to talk to you all about what you should consider before hiring a business coach. Now, this might sound funny coming from me because I am a business coach. I help give people the right plays to execute on the field of business and then cheer them on from the sidelines. But I have realized a lot of stuff as I have been a coach and as I’ve been coached, and today I want to dive into that really deep and really kind of discuss what that means for you.

I’m wondering if you guys have ever had a coach before, or maybe if you’ve ever been a coach. Maybe you remember back in your adolescence when you played some kind of organized team sport and you had a coach there who motivated you, pushed you, guided you, directed you, led you, showed you what you were capable of and what you could do. And that’s truly what I think any coach should do. But it’s a very scary thing because most coaches, if they’re worth it, are going to be a pretty significant investment in yourself. In a previous podcast, I talked about the difference between spending and an investment, and it really is an investment in yourself. You definitely could have some wrong investments, right?

I’m going to share a couple of personal stories with you, and then I’m going to get into five different things you should consider before hiring a coach. I remember a couple of years ago when I really wanted to get someone else in my business — all up in my business, if you will. There was this person that I followed, and they had a very similar outlook on faith and business building and personality as me. I actually felt like I was talking to a long-lost twin because they were just as excited and animated as I was, which was really important to me.

I like it when people can get excited and I can feed off their energy as well as them feeding off mine. They also had built something that I admired, so I decided to join their mastermind. Their mastermind was great. It was slow building. It was at the beginning. It was a significant amount of money per month. But what ended up happening is I kind of felt like I was helping to lead it. I was so much like this coach that the others in the group weren’t as exciting or engaged or making stuff happen, if you will. For any of you who have the pleasure of working with me or getting to know me — or maybe if you’re one of my friends listening — you know that I’m known to make things happen. I’m trying to keep this clean for those of you listening with kids right now, but you can imagine what other word I’d probably say.

So, you know, I didn’t want to say it didn’t work until I gave it enough time. I might’ve spent about three or four months there, but what I realized is that my business wasn’t really propelling forward. It was just an opportunity for me to talk, and I was talking things out at a very expensive rate. I learned that that kind of coaching wasn’t really working for me at the time, so I reluctantly excused myself from the group and moved on.

Throughout my time having the mastermind — it’s an awesome group where business owners, pet sitters, and dog walkers get together and work on expanding their business — one of my guests came on and I just fell in love with her. A little-known secret here is that the podcasts I get to do for you and the people I get to interview on a monthly basis inside the mastermind are such a privilege for me. These are brilliant minds that I normally wouldn’t just be able to pick up the phone and talk to for an hour, but because it’s on a stage and on a platform, I selfishly get to learn from all of these people front row and center. It’s an amazing privilege that I take to heart, and it’s why I love bringing these experts to you. I know that if they excite me and I learn from them, you will too.

One gal came in and she just blew my mind. Again, I really loved her personality. Her personality was, again, I kind of saw myself in her. She was a no-holds-barred, kick-butt kind of girl. She loved Jesus, and she also loved to cuss — and that’s me. But she also had proof of concept. She’s come a long way and had many challenges in her life, and just hearing her stories and how she was able to push past them really inspired me. It made me admire her enough to have a conversation about what coaching with her would look like.

I’ll admit very candidly that I was aghast at the amount of money she was asking for and the one-year commitment she required. Surely I didn’t want to commit to something that would cost me tens of thousands of dollars and be trapped in something if it didn’t work out. Because, as I just told you, I had a not-so-great experience the first time that I tried. But as I say — always keep jumping — I decided to take a leap of faith with her and I signed that commitment. I committed to spending those tens of thousands of dollars to let her help me with my business.

I flew across the country for a two-day meeting with her where we masterminded the heck out of my business. As I talk to you, I’m looking at my vision board — I made it with her — my goals, my KPIs, my projects are all outlined, and my “who is going to do what” lists. I worked through some workbooks with her too. I really mapped it all out in a way that gave me so much direction. I was in a rut in my business. I had grown so tremendously large in such a short amount of time, but I wasn’t sure what mindset shift I needed to make in order to make the proper decisions to take the next leap toward my personal goals, because I’ve always believed that my business is part of those personal goals.

I had to decide and consider these kinds of things before I hired a coach. I want to break down these five things now to hopefully help you make your decision on who it might be. It may or may not be me. Truth be told, I don’t actually coach a lot of people one-on-one anymore. I do a lot more group coaching — that’s with the mastermind.

The very first thing is proof with themselves. What have they built in their own life, business, and personal development to show that they have proof in the pudding? What is their lifestyle like? Do you know what their family life is like, what they’ve come through? How can you align or hitch your wagon to someone unless you know their truth and their story? Is it the good, bad, and ugly — or just the pretty pictures captured on Instagram? Is it surface, or is it transparent? Do you see the ugly pictures and the happy pictures, or only the happy ones?

Then I want you to consider the proof with others. Who have they helped, and what can they say about it? Someone you align with should not only be successful themselves but also have encouraged and cheered on others who became successful. Have they taken people from where you are now to where you want to go? Can you see yourself in those people?

The next thing is their style. I’m a no-nonsense, in-your-face person. Just as much as I might be perceived to give you a swift “#BellaButtKicking,” I’ll also sit beside you and cry with you. I’m passionate because I care deeply about the people I coach. I don’t choose who I work with lightly — I always do calls first to see if we’re a good fit. There are other coaches out there who take different approaches. Some have a cookie-cutter model. Some are very calm and meditative. I’m not like that. I’ll speak my mind and push you to move forward.

For some personalities, that clashes. It took me a long time to accept and embrace that. Sometimes you want a coach who’s different from you; sometimes one who’s similar. So figure out what their style is. You can find out by watching their videos, listening to podcasts, or joining their groups. Are they overly nice? Are they brash? Are they respectful? Figure out which style you gravitate toward.

Next, look at their customer service. Email them some questions and see how they respond. Do they reply personally, or does an assistant? Do they reply the same day,...

This episode, I want to get into the six things I did wrong when I started my pet business. If you have not been listening since episode 1, I started my pet sitting company in 2002 when I found out I could get paid to sleep with two dogs for my neighbor who traveled four days each week.

I didn't know anything about business and had to figure it out on my own, so I went to a lot of networking events and made friends with people who knew more than me, but I made many mistakes. I live with no regrets though because I learned a lot from those experiences and that's what I'm sharing with you.

Biggest Takeaway You Don’t Want To Miss

Invest in your own business and your own learning early on, it's a mind-shift, you are not spending, you are investing. What costs the most amount of money is not having the knowledge and not having the right team. Remember that your business should work for you, you should not work for it.

Show Highlights

Are you investing back into your business? [3:15]

Are you investing in yourself? [6:30]

Is it a people problem or a process problem? [9:50]

Who is doing your marketing? [13:30]

Did you develop your own website? [16:00]

When is it time to switch to employees? [18:50]

Links

Barketing Solutions: barketing.co/

Jump & Scale Webinar: jumpconsulting.net/scale

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Click this link – Bella In Your Business

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Transcript:

This is episode 148 of Bella in Your Business. This is Davis, and you're listening to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready — Bella's got your chute. Let's jump.

How adorable is that? That was Davis from Space Coast, Florida. He is Space Coast Pet Services’ Melanie B.B. Haines’ son, and I love it. I take it to heart because I know a lot of you guys are listening to this podcast in many different situations. Melanie's kids actually have memorized the beginning and the ending of the podcast, and they listen to it with her in the car. I know there are a couple of other moms out there with kids that also know the whole “Let's jump!” So I said, yeah, send me an intro. I hope you guys liked that. I absolutely loved it. Davis, way to go. You have a career in radio, my friend. Great job. Thank you for doing that.

All right, you guys, today I want to get into the six things that I did wrong when I started my pet business. A little bit of a background on me if you have not been listening since episode one, which was almost 150 episodes ago — I am in beautiful, sunny Scottsdale, Arizona. I started my pet sitting company in 2002 when my parents wanted to give me a curfew in college. I found out that I could get paid to sleep with two white dogs — because that’s what they were to me at the time — for my neighbor who traveled four nights a week for business. It was basically like having my own house free of rent, and I could come and go as I pleased. When I graduated college with a BA in Human Communication, I decided that I really didn’t want to work for anybody, and I had a pretty cool thing going, so I just went full-fledged doing the business.

However, I didn’t know anything about business. I never took a business class, didn’t know how to balance a balance sheet, didn’t know what a profit and loss was, had no idea what systems and processes were — that was just some buzzword. I just really had to try to figure it all out on my own. I became a really big sponge, and I listened more than I spoke. I went to a lot of networking meetings and a lot of lunch-and-learns, where I was able to learn a lot of stuff and just become friends with people that knew a lot more than I did. However, I did make some major mistakes that really hindered the trajectory of my success because I was too afraid. Let’s call a spade a spade — I was terrified, you guys. I was terrified of making the wrong decision. I was paralyzed by fear because I didn’t know what the right decision was, so it actually cost me a lot of time building.

Now, I also live with no regrets, so I’ve taken many lessons from them, which I am now turning over to you because no matter what stage you are in your business — whether you’re just starting your business, building your business, or scaling your business right now — these lessons apply to all of us because they’re kind of timeless. So the very first thing that I didn’t do was I did not invest back into the business. I was terrified of spending money on the business. At that time, I’d get $100, I’d put $100 in the business bank account. Actually, if I’m being quite honest, I don’t think I had a business bank account when I first started. I think it actually took me a little bit to get a separate business bank account because I felt like I wasn’t even making enough to have one, which was a total lie.

So I had this business bank account, and I didn’t know how much I actually had to spend on the company. I didn’t know if I was going to have enough to pay my bills, my cell phone, my rent — I was renting a condo at the time — my car payment. I was driving around my Mini Cooper convertible, which I dearly miss and love. It was kind of like paycheck to paycheck, if you will, or check to check at the time, because I was accepting cash and check. It was just me, and I was just really scared. I was kind of brought up in an environment where I was always taught to save. I don’t know if any of you guys had some quote-unquote “mean parents” out there that made you save half of your birthday money, half of your Christmas money, half of everything for your “college fund,” but that was me.

So I grew up all the time thinking, “I won’t have enough,” or “I need to save enough nuts for the winter,” if you will. When I was in this mentality, I was really afraid to spend money on the business. When I did, a couple of times I got burnt. I don’t know if any of you listening right now have ever been burnt by a purchase you’ve made, and you feel like, “Oh my gosh, it’s the biggest mistake I ever made. I wish I could get that hundred dollars, thousand dollars, couple thousand dollars back.” It’s a terrible feeling, and it kind of makes you a little gun-shy moving forward.

But what I did not realize is that just buying things to buy things wasn’t going to get me ahead — but investing was a whole different thing. I didn’t want to spend money, and my mindset — this is really big — my mindset was all on spending. It was like I was giving money away and was never going to see it back again. I did not think of it as an investment where I would put money down and get even more back. These are timeless lessons because throughout our business we have to remember that things are an investment, not an expense — or at least they shouldn’t be.

You pay someone to help you with SEO or a blog — well, you should, in turn, have the same goals with that person, and they should know what success means to you, and then you should start reaping those benefits. If you’re not, then you need to move on because things shouldn’t cost you money; they should be an investment. You should get it back. In our business, it’s not that complex. That’s why networking and being a part of my crew, knowing the people I know, and being able to ask me for references means I’ll give you quality people that won’t let you down — myself included.

So the first thing that we all need to do is have the mindset of, “How can I invest in my company to make it better, to make me better, and to get to my goals quicker rather than longer?” Now, the next thing is I didn’t invest in my own learning. This is actually kind of funny because in 2016 or 2017, I started working out every single day through this program called Beachbody. You guys might have heard of it. I was working out half an hour in the morning, every morning. I was so on my game — that’s a whole other story, but it’s all about morning routines.

It wasn’t until I started doing Beachbody and started being engulfed in this multi-level marketing MLM that I realized self-development. I realized how lonely it is as an entrepreneur. MLMs are not bad — in fact, I’d say that if you have an MLM right now, it means you’re on top of the pyramid, and the people “underneath” you are actually helping you make more money. So I want to dispel any kind of negative energy toward MLMs because I don’t want that to block what I’m about to say.

Everyone involved in these kinds of things needs to keep their following motivated and excited. The amount of personal development my coach poured into me, that my teammates and I discussed, the books we read, and the podcasts we listened to — it was so mind-blowing that it actually helped me create a bunch of programs and things in Jump Consulting. I saw the power of what I could do and got out of my own head.

I learned about Mel Robbins and The 5 Second Rule. Anytime you don’t want to do something, count down — five, four, three, two, one — then take action. It’s uncanny. Go look it up; it’s amazing. I learned about Brené Brown, Darren Hardy, and The Compound Effect. All these things invigorated me and fed my brain. I also didn’t hire my own coach until about a year ago — and when I say “my own coach,” I mean I spend $2,000 a month on my own coach, because I feel like my personal development, my growth, my ability to see the bigger picture, to help as many people and live out my mission as possible, is really important.

But when I was a pet sitter, I didn’t have a coach. I didn’t seek advice from others, especially in our industry — it was in its infancy then. What I want to encourage you is, don’t make the mistake I did about not investing in your own learning....

Today I want to talk about balance, this mystical creature that everyone thinks exists but doesn't necessarily exist. While I was preparing for this episode I recalled a video called Everything is Spiritual, in it Rob Bell talks about how perfectly balanced the world is and it's so interesting to hear how if even one thing was different how it wouldn't work, it makes me believe the earth may be the only truly balanced thing.

I think that balance is something we all struggle to achieve and as a mom, I think we struggle with this the most. We want to be at every event, but sometimes it's just not possible and then we end up beating ourselves up over it. Balance is a fairy tale and I want to get real about it.

Biggest Takeaway You Don’t Want To Miss

It is okay not to be perfect. It's not about balance or being perfect, it's about being in the moment, celebrating the wins, and being grateful for what we have in life. Balance is actually boring, it does not exist. Let's embrace the messy and be happy that the clouds are coming through because we know the storm will eventually pass and the sun will still be there.

Show Highlights

What is it like trying to achieve balance in my business? [3:40]

How have I struggled with balance in my personal life? [4:30]

Is it really possible to achieve balance in business and personal life? [5:50]

How can you start asking for help? [10:10]

Links

Rob Bell - Everything is Spiritual: youtube.com/watch?v=i2rklwkm_dQ

Jump & Scale Webinar: jumpconsulting.net/scale

Share The Show:

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 147 of Bella in Your Business. Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready — Bella's got your chute. Let's jump. Welcome to another episode of Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta and I'm your host today. Today I want to talk about balance — this mystical creature that's kind of like a unicorn that everyone thinks exists that doesn't necessarily exist. But while I was preparing to come to you with this show and building my show notes, I recalled a video. It's pretty powerful. It's called Everything is Spiritual. Go check it out on YouTube. It's by Rob Bell. And at the beginning of this about hour-long video, he says something where he talks about the balance of the earth.

As I was preparing to talk to you guys today, I was just thinking about how I think the earth is one of the only things that's truly so perfectly balanced. If you moved any one of the knobs differently, it would be very unbalanced. Let me tell you what I mean. He says that we are 93 million miles from the sun, and if we were 92 or 94, we'd burn up. We are 23.5% tidally locked, so our earth is at that percentage of a tilt, and it’s so that one side of the earth doesn't just always face the sun and burn up. Forty percent of the gravitational pull is from the sun, and 60% is from the moon, therefore giving us the perfect gravitational pull. We have 0.007 hydrogen to sustain life. If we had 0.006 or 0.008, we wouldn't exist. There's 21% oxygen — again, if it was less or more, we wouldn't exist, like poof, out of existence. And there's 3.4% salt in the oceans, which oddly enough is the same amount of salt that is in our bloodstream, apparently.

I just found all this really fascinating because when we're talking about balance in our life, balance is something that's very, very, very hard to achieve. Something’s always got to give at one point or another. I think that balance is something we add to all of our stress, and we just don't realize that things ebb and flow. And I really want to dive into that today. As a mom, and I know there are a lot of mompreneurs out there listening, I think we struggle with this the most because we want to be that super mom. We want to be the Pinterest mom, and we want to always have cookies for that bake sale, or we always want to be volunteering, or we always want to be able to be there for my daughter's swim school every week, or we always want to be there for pick-up and drop-off. But sometimes it’s just not happening, and then we end up beating ourselves up over it, feeling like, “My gosh, I need to make it a priority.”

And it’s okay. I go through this all the time, and that’s why I wanted to talk about it. I think that balance is a fairy tale. I'm going to share a lot of personal stories here with you because I think one of the things is that because I have this platform, because I have this awesome podcast and all of you incredible listeners who are binging on Bella — I get emails about that at least monthly, which I am very honored that you do — I just wanted to get real for a minute. I'll be real honest: this past quarter, the first quarter of 2019, was the very first quarter that I did not achieve even half of what I set out for. Now, for someone who's an overachiever and a performance person like I am, that was really hard to swallow.

I was trying so hard to get everything balanced as I allowed space to open up for my team, as I allowed new technology to come in. It seemed like the more I tried to achieve balance, the less things were balanced. Have you ever felt like that before? I think imbalance is needed in our life for life changes. I'll tell you another personal experience. When I was in the NICU, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit — and if this is your first time listening, I have one of the 50 smallest surviving female babies on the planet. She was born at 12 ounces — that’s two-thirds of a pound and 10 inches, which is an inch shorter than a Barbie doll. We were in the NICU for six months.

I will tell you that my relationships with my parents suffered big time. I pushed my parents out of my life. My parents and I were really close for a long time, and I pushed them completely out, creating a lot of hurt. But it was the way I was able to sustain myself and get through the trauma I was going through in my life — trying to fight for my daughter’s life. She’s a happy, healthy four-and-a-half-year-old now, but I definitely did not have balance in my personal relationships because I had to balance myself. I had to get myself through it. So I’m saying this because I want you to understand that I really feel like we’re never going to have balance, and if you just embrace the fact that things ebb and flow, it’s okay.

And with that, we have to really celebrate things when they are good. I don't think we take enough time to celebrate things. Another personal example: when my business was going really, really great, my marriage wasn’t. And I've never really talked about this before, but after going through that whole NICU thing, it was a big struggle — a really big struggle. Because even though our daughter is here and alive and happy and healthy, there was actually a lot of grieving and anger and therapy that both my husband and I had to go through separately and together so that we could come back and make our marriage stronger. Of course, that’s never perfect. It’s something that you’re always working on.

I know many of my listeners — you guys are single, divorced, happily married, unhappily married. Everybody’s in all different kinds of situations. But I want to just blow the roof off the idea that you’re supposed to have the perfect business that’s growing greatly and a perfect relationship with your kids, parents, and spouse. It doesn’t work like that. So let’s stop pretending. Let’s get real. It’s okay not to be perfect. Rarely does everything work out all at once. And you know what — if it did, if everything was copacetic, that would be boring, wouldn’t it? There’d be no ebb and flow, no celebration, because everything would always be good.

When I used to drive back and forth to the NICU, I was really missing you guys. I was missing my community. I did a series in the parking lot — actually, no, forgive me, it was behind the steering wheel at a stoplight — and I called it Stoplight Confessionals. I would film myself only while the light was red. In one of those recordings, the message was “The sun is always behind the clouds.” Because that day I was looking outside — and I’m in Arizona, where there are blue skies all the time — even when you want a rainy day to just lay in bed, Arizona does not allow you that. But this day, there were clouds in the sky, and I said, “You know what, the sun is always behind the clouds, no matter what.”

It was so indicative of life, and it’s true. The clouds come through, but the sun is always there. And not to wrap this up into what I originally started talking to you guys about, but you’ve got to keep perspective. It’s not about balance and it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being in the moment. It’s about celebrating the wins, no matter how small they are, and being grateful for what we do have in life. Balance is actually boring. Why do we want to be boring?

It sounds like it’s a walk in the park, right? It sounds like, “Ah, I can breathe a sigh of relief.” But you might be saying, “Bella, you don’t get it — I’m doing 14-hour days, I’ve got kids, a husband, I need to lose weight, I don’t eat right, and I just feel like crap all the time.” I get it. I totally get it. But I want you to be intentional about what you’re going after. Everyone says, “I want to be able to balance things.” Balance is boring. Balance does not exist.

I really feel strongly about this because I just feel like there are so many buzzwords out there constantly making us feel like we’re not good enough. If you don’t have failure, there’s no learning, and there’s no growing — and then you get stagnant, and then it is boring....