Big Brave Business: Business Ethics, Revolutionary Leadership and Human-First Entrepreneurship with Sarah Heeter

This week I welcomed my friend and colleague, Ana Xavier. From the time Ana and I first connected on Instagram, I have been struck by her refreshingly approachable and authentic energy - a stark contrast to the "gatekeepers" I've encountered in the podcasting world. Ana shares how she's built a thriving business by staying true to her values of collaboration, impact, and empathy, rather than trying to emulate the "bro marketer" tactics that dominate our industry. One of the biggest takeaways for me is Ana's emphasis on the power of in-person connection, which has motivated me to step out of my comfort zone and attend more events and conferences. Ana also reminded me of the deeper purpose behind these connections - tapping into the collective wisdom and support of our community to uplift and inspire one another.

Meet Ana:

Ana Xavier is a multilingual award-winning podcast Marketer with 10+ years of experience producing podcasts in the US, UK, and Portugal. Her weekly show The Podcast Space, provides strategic yet practical ways for professionals to use their show as an effective tool for online marketing.

Connect with Ana:

https://thepodcastspace.com

https://instagram.com/thepodcastspace

Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/

https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter 

https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: 

https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

This week, I'm joined by my friend & long-term client, Candace D'Agnolo. She's been an entrepreneur for over 25 years and has built and scaled brick-and-mortar businesses, retail business, service-based businesses, and digital businesses. When it comes to starting, scaling, and selling businesses, Candace is my go-to expert. So it's no surprise that I was thrilled to bring her on the podcast to talk about her idea of what it means to be big and brave in business. And you know what might surprise you? Of ALL her experience that many of us are so far only dreaming of, her idea of big and brave is all about her personal development and team leadership. No matter how successful you are in business, it always comes back to that!

Meet Candace:

From failing to scaling, broke to naming her price and selling businesses, and from chained to her storefront to traveling the world, Candace has experienced first-hand the extreme struggles and ultimate successes of pet entrepreneurship since 2004.

The one thing she wished she had but couldn’t find was a support system of industry peers who believed in community over competition, mentors who could guide her, and a resource for the best marketing ideas around. It didn’t exist, so she created it!

Connect with Candace & Pet Boss Nation:

https://petboss.com/

https://www.instagram.com/candacedagnolo

Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/

https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter 

https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: 

https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

I was thrilled this week to welcome Brooke and Tristan of the Reimagining Online Business podcast. If you haven't listened to their show, I can't recommend it enough. Their wry humor and sarcasm right from the first few minutes had me hooked, and I knew by the end of episode 1 that I had to have them both on Big Brave Business.

One of the things that Brooke and Tristan are so passionate about is running businesses ethically - which is complicated to do as anti-capitalists in a capitalist world. The more you are aware of the heinous atrocities and human rights violations happening worldwide that are woven into everything we do and the way we engage with our economy, the harder it can be to see (and follow) the light. Is there such a thing as running and growing a business as an anticapitalist founder? We explore this topic and more in today's episode.

About Brooke Monaghan (she/her)

Business coach & founder of Fruition Growth Network. Brooke is a trusted advisor to founders and leaders who value impact, integrity, and relationships and are on a mission to set things straight in their industry. Her work focuses on the intersection of well-being and bottom line, guiding do-gooder lifestyle business owners to intentionally design profitable businesses around their values and their desired lifestyle. She is the founder of Fruition Growth Network, a collaborative platform providing accessible, quality support to self-employed folks and bringing people together to find power in community.

About Tristan Katz (he/they)

Digital strategist & equity-inclusion facilitator & consultant. Tristan is a writer, educator, digital strategist, and equity-inclusion facilitator. They specialize in content marketing strategies for justice-focused leaders and queer-trans Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (DEIB) training and consulting. Tristan’s intention is to share this work with an anti-oppression and intersectional lens. He’s worked with organizations and clients such as Portland Public Schools, Accessible Yoga School, HubSpot, Stanford University’s YogaX program, and Williston Northampton School, among many others. Tristan was named one of Yoga Journal’s 2021 Game Changers and he is proud to have spent several years serving on the Board of Directors at Accessible Yoga before the non-profit dissolved in early 2024.

Connect with Brooke & Tristan

https://www.reimaginingonlinebusiness.com/

Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/

https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter 

https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: 

https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

This week, I'm thrilled to introduce you to my friend Emily Aborn. One of the first things she asked me the first time we met was something along the lines of, "What's an ethical challenge to online business that's particularly interesting to you right now?" and I knew we were going to get along. Today, we're chatting about ethical content creation to create authentic and meaningful connection, especially amidst the conundrums that come with AI.

About Emily Aborn:

Emily Aborn is a Content Copywriter, Speaker, and Podcast Host of Content with Character and She Built This. Since 2014, she’s had experience running brick-and-mortar as well as online businesses. She’s worked with 100+ industries as a copywriter, helping her clients increase their visibility, and build relationship-based businesses. She brings her client's personality to life with creative, connected copy and content. For fun, she loves reading, listening to podcasts, and hiking with her husband, Jason, and their dog, Clyde.

Connect with Emily:

https://www.emilyaborn.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyaborn

Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/

https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter 

https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: 

https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

You probably have heard me mention that I took the month of July off of Zoom calls! (I still worked, but I didn't schedule calls... except for four days but that's okay.)

You know the crazy thing about taking that time to slow the hell down? I actually made more money in July than I did in June. So what did I learn? I'm reflecting and sharing insights with you this week in the second-ever solo episode of Big Brave Business!

Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/

https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter 

https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: 

https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

What a thrill to have my friend and former client, Cheryl Ham, on the podcast this week. Cheryl jumped at something I said in a previous episode / on social media about the expression 'hire before you're ready' and felt passionately about coming on the podcast to dissect that advice and to help us understand when that advice is good and helpful, and when it's potentially toxic and harmful.

About Cheryl:

Cheryl Ham is the creative mind (and hands) behind Hypnotic Yarn and the Yarnable subscription box, delighting knitters around the world with curated yarn surprises, month after month. Drawing from her personal journey and experiences, Cheryl now coaches creative entrepreneurs, helping them grow and thrive in their handmade businesses.

Connect with Cheryl:

https://www.indiemadebiz.com/

https://hypnoticyarn.com/

Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/

https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter 

https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: 

https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

One of the things we hear all the time in the online business space these days is "trauma-informed." This was one of the fundamental keys to the discussion I had in today's episode with trauma-informed marketer, Stephanie Bilinsky. There are a lot of ethical questions and layers in online marketing in 2024 and beyond, and it was my honor and privilege to get to speak about some of these nuances with Stephanie.

About Stephanie Bilinsky:

Stephanie left their 9 to 5 in education to build a business that allowed them to write all day and thrive. Along the way, they discovered a passion for helping other entrepreneurs grow through trauma-informed marketing. In addition to providing SEO copywriting services, Stephanie and their spouse Theo run a Patreon community. Together they share education on ethical marketing, sales, and photography.

Connect with Stephanie:

https://brandcendent.com/

https://www.instagram.com/brandcendent

Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/

https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter 

https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: 

https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

If you've listened to this podcast for a little while, you might remember that I started my business in the wake of getting laid off. My guest today has had the distinct and unique pleasure of experiencing the trauma of getting laid off multiple times (which I literally can't imagine, what a powerhouse brave woman she is). Today, we're sharing our lay-off stories and also exploring how to build courage in entrepreneurship, especially after a lay-off.

About Liz Richards:

Liz is a devoted mother and entrepreneur. She loves to talk about fear and creativity and staying connected to courage through risk-taking decisions. Through her business she is passionate about helping people publish strong through nonfiction editing and writing services.

Connect with Liz:

https://www.lreditorial.com/

https://www.instagram.com/thisislizrichards

Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/

https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter 

https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: 

https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

Let's be honest, basically every entrepreneurial or business podcast out there has an episode about burnout. So when Alenka and I met on Threads and she mentioned she wanted to talk about burnout, I knew right away that I wanted to make sure this was a conversation that goes beyond just 'what is burnout,' 'what does burnout feel like,' 'how can you avoid burnout,' etc. Alenka and I explored the gendered nuances of burnout - and although there are many other factors and characteristics that can also impact your relationship with burnout, this episode is specifically about burnout for women.

About Alenka:

With over 15 years working in the software space Alenka has spent her career in a male dominant space, often being the only woman in a room and the youngest. She is currently building her own business after going through health issues where she wasn't able to find answers in conventional medicine.

Connect with Alenka:

https://www.sahacollective.com

https://www.instagram.com/saha.collective

Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/

https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter 

https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: 

https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus

Human Resources is such an interesting beast. I have certainly felt both the benefits and the obstacles of HR in a typical 9-5 corporate environment, and it's a whole other complicated aspect of business as a small business owner. I asked my friend, HR consultant Kirsten Zeigler, to join me for this week's episode of Big Brave Business to talk about HR's role in business, when we need HR, and the ethical complications with AND without HR.

About Kirsten:

Kirsten Zeigler is a people and culture expert on a mission to reshape the role of Human Resources so that small business owners can focus on growing their business. She collaborates with leaders to ensure compliance, and help build an inclusive and productive culture that attracts and retains talent.

Connect with Kirsten:

www.kdzhrconsulting.com

https://www.instagram.com/kdz_hrconsulting/

Connect with Sarah & Big Brave Business:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahkheeter/

https://www.threads.net/@sarahkheeter 

https://www.instagram.com/bigbravebusiness

https://www.youtube.com/@bigbravebusiness

Want to be a guest on Season 2? Learn more and apply here: 

https://forms.fillout.com/t/qQe2MEbTLzus