cleared your schedule and everyone knows not to disturb you. Where do you start? It feels good to write, but you’re not sure where you’re headed. Just as you prepare your area and your schedule for the writing process, you need to prepare your road map for writing success.

Join me in this session as I talk about one of the greatest tools you could ever develop for your writing—and it’s not AI. A strong book outline reflects your deepest level of thinking as you shape and clarify your book’s message. It’s your deep dive into your core message and who you’re writing to.

If you have a passion to write a compelling book and need direction on how to get started—and lay a solid foundation for quality and impact—this episode is for you.

Show notes:

• How to use AI ethically and legally in your book episode

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• Instagram @stacyennis
• Facebook @stacyenniscreative
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @stacyennisauthor

To submit a question, email [email protected] or join my email list http://stacyennis.com/join and fill out the form on the page.

A big part of my personal life is whole foods, which is a foundational part of how our family operates. My husband prepares every meal from scratch—from homemade sourdough to scratch sauces to kombucha. So this week’s episode is a special one with Melissa Griffiths, the creative soul behind Bless This Mess, a long-running food and lifestyle brand that celebrates simple cooking, slow living, and the beauty of everyday family life.

For more than fifteen years, Melissa has shared approachable recipes, homesteading inspiration, and routines with a community of home cooks looking to bring more peace and purpose into their homes. We talk about how she balances using AI for automating texts yet prioritizing human creativity in core content creation. And even though this episode isn’t about writing books, it’s about writing meaningful content that speaks to your audience, especially through sharing real stories and shared values to deepen audience engagement.

We also discuss facing the challenges of business shifts, like with traffic and revenue, and looking at new product development. The overarching theme is connecting and engaging with your audience and finding where you fit in and meet a need.

As a mother of five, Melissa built her business in the margins of family life, testing recipes during naptime, photographing meals at her kitchen table, and shaping her work around the seasons of motherhood. Her work isn’t just about food, it’s about reclaiming time, joy, and connection in a world that often demands more than we have.

If you’re interested in reclaiming a more meaningful lifestyle through food and community, this episode is for you.

Learn more about Melissa:

• Website
• Instagram @blessthismessblog
• Facebook

Recommended books:

• Raising Securely Attached Kid, by Lisa Damour
• The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, by Eli Harwood

Follow me on:

• Instagram @stacyennis
• Facebook @stacyenniscreative
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @stacyennisauthor

To submit a question, email [email protected] or visit stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

If you followed me for very long, you know that storytelling is a big part of my nonfiction work. Stories change a dry, boring, put-this-book-down read to an engaging, transformative experience for the reader.

In this week’s episode, I address a question from a listener about the differences between memoir and leadership genres and how personal narratives are used differently in each. Both have commonalities in how to use stories, such as enhancing core ideas without overshadowing them and being flexible with where to place stories to support thematic flow and reader connection.

I also talk about how to balance the content in each genre and how much of a chapter could include personal stories—all with the audience in mind.

Join me if you’re interested in learning more about using stories to transform lessons into memorable experiences, keeping those readers reading and strengthening your book’s impact.

Follow me on:

• Instagram @stacyennis
• Facebook @stacyenniscreative
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @stacyennisauthor

To submit a question, email [email protected] or visit stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

If you’re an author and are ready for feedback on your first draft, you may have considered this question posed by Trent. Especially if you’re weighing AI’s advice versus hiring an editor.

In this “Ask Stacy” episode, I talk about the trickiness of using AI and the potential hazards of watering down your voice as an author. I’ll also discuss the different ways you can receive meaningful feedback—from author coaching to writing community support. And if you have a financial roadblock to hiring an editor, there are free resources you can use.

There are limitations to using AI, but there are also ways to use AI to your advantage. The main focus is to invest in your success and long-term growth with integrity and efficiency.

If you’re an aspiring author looking for wisdom about using AI, you’ll enjoy this episode and walk away with inspiration on how to best use AI in your book-writing process.

Show notes:

• How to Use AI Ethically and Legally in Your Book.
• Join my newsletter: https://stacyennis.com/join

Follow me on:

• Instagram @stacyennis
• Facebook @stacyenniscreative
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @stacyennisauthor

To submit a question, email [email protected] or visit stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

What do you do when you've spent nearly 30 years building one career, and your heart is quietly pulling you toward something different? In this week’s episode, I'm answering a question from Katie, a higher education professional in her early 50s who's dreaming of transitioning into writing and editing.

I share why I believe that it is never too late to reinvent yourself professionally. From my grandfather who saw patients as a surgeon well into his 90s, to a friend who successfully made this exact career pivot later in life.

In this episode, I walk through practical steps for making a career transition into writing and editing, including the value of certificate programs, the mindset work that I think is as important as the tactical stuff, and why—surprise, surprise—I think writing a book might be one of the most powerful things you can do as you make this shift.

Whether you're Katie, or you're someone else sitting with a big career question of your own, I hope this episode leaves you inspired and reminded that change is always possible.

Follow me on:

• Instagram @stacyennis
• Facebook @stacyenniscreative
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @stacyennisauthor

To submit a question, email [email protected] or visit stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

What if you didn't have to wait until the end of your life to rest, explore, and pursue the things that matter most to you? That's the question at the heart of this week's conversation—and honestly, it's one that has stayed with me long after we finished recording.

My guest, Jillian Johnsrud, never expected to retire early. So instead, she made a plan to retire often. By 40, she had taken over a dozen mini retirements.

In our conversation, we dig into what mini retirements actually look like in practice, how to overcome the very real challenges of planning, negotiating time off, and financing these breaks, and why intentional pauses can lead to more creativity, career clarity, and even higher earnings. We also talk about using mini-retirements as a low-risk way to test a new country before making a big move abroad—something close to my own heart.

If you've ever felt like life is passing a little too fast, or that you're waiting for someday to finally live the way you want, this episode is for you.

Get to know Jillian:

• Website
• Instagram @jilianjohnsrud
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @JilliansJohnsrud

Book recommendation:

• The Icarus Deception, by Seth Godin

Follow me on:

• Instagram @stacyennis
• Facebook @stacyenniscreative
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @stacyennisauthor

To submit a question, email [email protected] or visit stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

What is a brand? A brand is how you show up to the world. It’s how you articulate your unique voice and expertise to clients. If you’re new to promoting your brand, you may wonder where or how to start.

Join me as I talk with Luna Battalia, an expert on brand strategy and design, about the ins and outs of how to discover and refine your authentic brand voice. Building your brand can positively impact your business—from vetting great clients to enhancing client engagement—and you can do it in a way that reduces stress through clear, distinct messaging.

Luna is a leadership mentor and the founder of Caru Creative, a full-spectrum creative brand studio, and the creator of Animist Branding, a psychology-driven approach to marketing shaped by her master’s in spiritual psychology and 15-plus years at the intersection of digital marketing and buyer behavior. She partners with leading mission-driven women entrepreneurs building a personal brand world that reflects the depth and impact they lead with. Luna’s all about building legacies over businesses and seeing women communicate the value they bring with bold, unignorable confidence.

Listen to this episode to learn more about how to pave the way for improved sales efficiency, attracting just the right client, and enhancing client experience—even before signing on the dotted line.

Show notes:

• Get Luna’s signature course Messenger | Master the Art of Being Heard. The course supports entrepreneurs with Brand Messaging, content creation, and copywriting through storytelling. Use the code BEYOND for 10% discount.

Get to know Luna:

• Website
• Instagram @lunabattalia
• LinkedIn

Book recommendation:

• The Invitation, by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Follow me on:

• Instagram @stacyennis
• Facebook @stacyenniscreative
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @stacyennisauthor

To submit a question, email [email protected] or visit stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

If you’ve followed me for very long, you know that I love books, especially because they inspire change and spark conversations. As a book coach, I get to help authors create frameworks that organize complex thoughts and help them communicate their message effectively in various contexts. Their writing creates a lasting influence that extends into their personal and professional realms.

Join me as I talk about the internal and external impact of writing—from transforming confidence and self-expression to refining the presentation of ideas and engagement with audiences.

If you’re interested in turning vague ideas into clear, purposeful messages, and moving into true thought leadership, you’ll love this episode.

Follow me on:

• Instagram @stacyennis
• Facebook @stacyenniscreative
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @stacyennisauthor

To submit a question, email [email protected] or visit stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

This week on the podcast, I talk about three struggles I’m facing right now: two of which you’ve heard me talk about in the past, one of which might surprise you. But first, let me be very clear that I love Portugal. There are so many things I’m grateful for in this wonderful country.

But no country is perfect, and I’m a human being, which means life is not struggle-free. Life is life wherever you live. In sharing the hard parts, I hope you’re able to see the full picture in your own life too—to be grateful and contented in your everyday, but to also acknowledge the challenges and navigate them with a mindset of choicefulness.

We choose to be here in spite of the challenges. But that doesn’t mean I need to ignore the things that cause me strife. Join me as I share three things that I’m struggling with right now in Portugal.

Follow me on:

• Instagram @stacyennis
• Facebook @stacyenniscreative
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @stacyennisauthor

To submit a question, email [email protected] or visit stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

Storytelling shapes decisions. We’ve all been affected by stories in one way or another because they carry emotion and move us to action. It makes sense that using narratives in business can provide the same deep connection with our customers.

Today I am joined by Gavin McMahon, CEO and cofounder of fassforward, who has learned the power of storytelling. In our discussion, we cover the various storytelling genres and how they address different business needs—from motivating teams to building trust with customers. Stories create a deeper, more impactful communication that moves beyond mere facts, and as neurological evidence shows, the engagement they foster leads to motivation.

Gavin McMahon helps companies shape strategy, leadership, and culture through storytelling. A former engineer who once built submarines, sports cars, and steel plants, Gavin discovered that even the best plans fail without the power of story. After earning an MBA in innovation, strategy, and information technology from the Institute Theseus in France, he shifted his focus from engineering to business transformation. He is the author of Story Business: Why Stories Rule the World and How They Can Reinvent Your Business.

If you are interested in growing your business in a profound and impactful way, this insightful episode is for you.

Get to know Gavin:

• Website
• LinkedIn

Book recommendations:

• A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel, by Amor Towles
• Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae, by Steven Pressfield

Follow me on:

• Instagram @stacyennis
• Facebook @stacyenniscreative
• LinkedIn
• YouTube @stacyennisauthor

To submit a question, email [email protected] or visit stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.