Better Than Big

When your service includes a lot of moving parts, you can’t always rely on your brain to remember all the tasks and to-dos. That’s where systems come in - specifically a client management system that can help you stay organized and keep your projects on track. In this episode, Sean McMullin joins me to talk about the system he uses to manage complex and ongoing client projects at the podcast production agency, Yellow House Media. We also talk about the importance of evolving your systems over time and about how Sean is using his systems to free up brainspace and better serve clients.

Get the free Simple Systems Guide: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplesystems

Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/

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Learn more about Yellow House Media: www.yellowhouse.media

Follow Sean on Instagram: www.instagram.com/seandmcmullin/

As someone who places a high value on choice and time freedom, it’s a little ironic that I use a scheduling system to help me manage my time. The reason I’m able to do it is because I’ve created a system that allows me to have structure in my days while also enjoying plenty of flexibility too. In this episode, I’m sharing more about the system I use to help me manage my time and talking about how it’s evolved over the years to become even more flexible. I also introduce the tools I use to support the system and talk about why this unique scheduling system works for someone who values choice in how they spend their time.

Get the Simplified Schedule Workbook: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedschedule

Check out Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore

Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/

Connect with Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Whether it’s a holdover from a corporate career or completely subconscious, business owners can fall into the trap of working all the time and forget that they can design a business that provides them with ample time off. In this episode, my guest Michael Knouse shares how he’s designed his business so he can enjoy an abundance of time off each year to ski and travel and adventure. We talk about the importance of trading busy work for smart work, about how he was able to take a month off to travel without harming his business and about what he wishes more business owners would take advantage of when it comes to their schedule.

Check out the Do Less, Live More audio course: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore

Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/

Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Learn more about Michael: https://www.michaelknouse.com/

Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelknouse/

So often in business, we design our services based on the industry standard instead of designing them around what feels good and aligned for us. In this episode, my guest Kaitlyn Kessler joins me to talk about the art of creating aligned offers and about her experience testing and tweaking her services in two different businesses. We talk about why personality plays a role in service design and about why a retainer model is a great option for people who love investing in their relationships. We also talk about the mindset hurdles that prevent us from designing services that work as well for us as they do for our clients. 

Check out The Simplified Services Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/the-simplified-intensive

Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/

Connect with Ashley on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Learn more about Kaitlyn: www.KaitlynKessler.com

Connect with Kaitlyn on IG: https://www.instagram.com/kaitlynskessler/

The idea of slowing down your business to scale up feels at odds with the philosophy that business owners should always hustling hard to grow. But in order to pursue growth in a sustainable, life-giving way, sometimes you have to slow down so you can build a stronger foundation in your business first. In this episode, Keila Hill-Trawick of Little Fish Accounting joins me to talk about her experience slowing down to scale up and about the steps we took to help her grow in a more easeful way. We talk about how she knew it was time to slow down, how we built systems and processes that allowed her to build a better business and about why she’s so clear that she can grow well with a small team.

Learn more about the Simplified Services Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedservicesintensive 

Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/

Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Learn more about Little Fish Accounting: www.littlefishaccounting.com

Follow Keila on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlefishaccounting/

n this episode, Susan Boles, virtual CFO, operations advisor and founder of ScaleSpark joins me to talk about the default decisions we make in our business and about why they prevent us from scaling smart. We talked about what she’s learned about making decisions after running 4 different businesses and talked about her process for making better decisions. Susan also revealed the most powerful question you can ask yourself if you want to make better, more aligned decisions, and it’s as simple as it is smart.

Learn more about the Simplified Services Intensive: https://www.ashleygartland.com/simplifiedservicesintensive

Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/

Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Learn more about Susan: https://www.scalespark.co/

Follow Susan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesusanboles/

Letting things be easy may seem like too simple of strategy for creating a more life-giving business but it’s among the most important lessons you can learn. In this “best of” episode, I’m talking about why I focused on letting business be easy and share how this approach helped me create a better, more profitable and more sustainable business. I also talk about the beliefs I had to shift in order to create more ease in my business and give you a powerful question that can help you start spotting opportunities to let your business be easy too.

Get access to my audio course Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore

Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/

Connect with Ashley on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

What happens when you realize you’re experiencing burnout because the business you’re building isn’t actually the one you want to run? That’s the question I’m exploring on this week’s episode with my guest Cassie Widders, who intentionally took a step back to redesign her business after burnout. In this episode, Cassie and I talk about what wasn’t working in her social media management business and about the signs that told her it was time to pivot into a new model with new offers. We also talk about the practical changes and the mindset shifts she made to move from a done-for-you model to a seasonal business that better suits her life.

Learn more about Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore

Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/

Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Learn more about Cassie: www.cassiewidders.co.uk

Follow Cassie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassiemwidders/

We all dream of spending time unplugged but it can feel impossible to actually take a break from business because we’re so enmeshed in the day-to-day. The key, as my guest on the podcast today learned, is to take the time to ask yourself HOW you can take a break instead of just asking IF you can take one. In this episode, resilience and mindset consultant Shulamit Ber Levtov joins me to talk about when she realized she needed to take a month-long stress break from her business and about what it looked like to take that extended time off. We also talk about how she prepared for her time away, and about what the experience taught her about her business moving forward.  

Get access to Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore

Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/

Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Learn more about Shulamit: www.shula.consulting

Follow Shulamit on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/shulaconsulting

Years ago, La’Vista Jones found herself working in corporate America with little time to rest or eat or care for herself. She was taught to prioritize work over self so she did - until she burnt out. That experience led her to leave corporate and create her own business, 31 Marketplace, where she redefined what work looks like for her. In this episode, she joins me to talk about her experience with burnout and what it taught her about the importance of prioritizing herself above her work. We talk about how she built her agency around this philosophy and about the daily rituals and boundaries that help her keep work and life separate. La’Vista also shares a simple weekly practice that reminds her to ask for support so she can create space to prioritize herself. 

Learn More about Do Less, Live More: www.ashleygartland.com/dolesslivemore

Learn more about Ashley: https://www.ashleygartland.com/

Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygartland/

Learn more about La’Vista: http://lavistajones.com/

Follow La’Vista on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavistajones/