Big Fun, Small Business: An audio sketchbook for building a business that feels good

Your sales page is a first date, treat them to the steak. Lara Eastburn shares why dropping the marketing “shoulds” and just telling the truth is your greatest sales tool, and how the right people will recognize themselves when your messaging finally matches up with reality.

In this episode:
0:00 Why your website’s job is matchmaking, not convincing
2:00 The “virtual business suit” and why it ruins your messaging
5:44 How to strip away sales hacks and just tell the truth
7:15 The magic of helping people self-identify as a fit (or not)
13:44 Why long sales pages won’t make your offer more affordable

We also kept the conversation going with a Live Q&A for where we talked about:

• Why you don’t need a lead magnet (seriously)
• When NOT to run Facebook ads
• Where the best line on your website is probably hiding
• How to talk about your business without making assumptions about your people
• Why “ideal client avatars” can make your copy worse, not better

Hang out with Lara:
https://laraeastburn.com

Hang out with Deanna:
https://deannaseymour.com
https://instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎃 Come to the Halloween Networking Party!
www.jointheplayhouse.com/party

📲 Grab the FREE Static 9 Grid Planner:
deannaseymour.com/planner

🙅‍♀️ Grab the FREE Anti-Elevator Pitch Guide:
deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

🏠 Check out The Playhouse: A space for cool humans who happen to have businesses at jointheplayhouse.com

If people can’t figure out how to buy from you, or sign up for your events, or hit that dreaded 404 page you are losing sales. I’m chatting with Nadia Rayward from Sugar Beet Studios to chat all about user experience (UX) and why it matters for solopreneurs.

In this episode:

02:01 What “user experience” really means (and why bad UX stands out)
04:33 The biggest “points of contact” you MUST consider for your business
06:58 Real-life example: handling waitlists, confirmations & why little details matter
10:42 How to actually TEST your experiences with real people (without fancy tools
13:03 The #1 thing visitors need to know on your homepage (in the first 5 seconds!)

The extended episode with a live Q&A for Playhouse members includes:

• Where to actually put your call-to-action so people don't miss it
• Why AI still can't replace real user testing, and what that means for you
• Simple, low-cost ways to test your website with real people before you launch

Listen to the extended version when you join us inside The Playhouse: https://jointheplayhouse.com

Hang out with Nadia:
https://www.sugarbeetstudios.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiarayward
https://sugarbeetstudios.kit.com/newsletter
https://www.sugarbeetstudios.com/build-with-intention-monthly-meetup

Hang out with Deanna:
https://deannaseymour.com
https://instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎃 Come to the Halloween Networking Party!
www.jointheplayhouse.com/party

🙅‍♀️ Grab the FREE Anti-Elevator Pitch Guide:
deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

🏠 Check out The Playhouse: A space for cool humans who happen to have businesses at jointheplayhouse.com

This one thing might be the reason you hate networking, or think you suck at it.

I'm breaking down my "anti-elevator pitch" and why friendship-first networking will get you further than any polished intro ever will.

In this episode:
0:00 Why the classic elevator pitch makes you sweat and ramble
2:20 "Friendship first networking" — what it actually means
8:11 The 7-11 word intro formula: what you do + who you do it for
15:12 A no-pressure follow-up system for people who think they're bad at follow-up
19:23 Where to actually keep track of the people you meet (spoiler: it doesn't need to be a CRM)

Grab the Anti-Elevator Pitch PDF guide:
https://deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

Listen to the episodes mentioned:
Trish Markel on systems: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2423323/episodes/19509750

Maria Medina on systems + follow-up: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2423323/episodes/19678904

Hang out with Deanna:
https://deannaseymour.com
https://jointheplayhouse.com
https://instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎃 Come to the Halloween Networking Party!
www.jointheplayhouse.com/party

📲 Grab the FREE Static 9 Grid Planner:
deannaseymour.com/planner

🙅‍♀️ Grab the FREE Anti-Elevator Pitch Guide:
deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

🏠 Check out The Playhouse: A space for cool humans who happen to have businesses at jointheplayhouse.com

If you’ve ever felt like you’re always checking things off your list but your business isn’t moving forward, this episode will help you adjust that to-do list big time! Maria Medina breaks down how to tell if you’re actually being productive or just busy so your workday finally starts working for you.

In this episode:
0:00 Why productivity and busy are not the same thing
2:31 How your calendar reveals your real priorities
5:35 The Eisenhower Matrix for prioritizing your to-dos
8:05 ADHD and the hidden productivity struggles business owners face
14:40 The one system you need to clarify your goals and actions

We also kept the conversation going with a Live Q&A where we talked about:

• Why a "good" system can be as simple as Post-it Notes, and how to know if yours actually work
• The ADHD-rooted reason follow-up feels so uncomfortable (and how to get past it)
• How to stop losing track of your best connections with a dead simple follow-up system

Listen to the extended version when you join us inside The Playhouse: https://jointheplayhouse.com

Hang out with Maria:
https://www.instagram.com/mariamedinacoach
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariamedinacoach
https://thecoachingnetwork.com

Hang out with Deanna:
https://deannaseymour.com
https://instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎃 Come to the Halloween Networking Party!
www.jointheplayhouse.com/party

📲 Grab the FREE Static 9 Grid Planner:
deannaseymour.com/planner

🙅‍♀️ Grab the FREE Anti-Elevator Pitch Guide:
deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

🏠 Check out The Playhouse: A space for cool humans who happen to have businesses at jointheplayhouse.com

If you’re obsessed with personality tests like Enneagram or Human Design, you’ll love hearing about Sheer Personality, a totally new (and super visual) way to understand how you and anyone in your life relate and work together.

In this episode:

3:35 Why Cara created SHEER Personality and what makes it different
6:04 Using SHEER to overlay your results with friends, co-workers, or your partner
10:16 The five SHEER spectrums and what they actually mean
17:18 Cara shares how SHEER improved her marriage and work relationships
25:14 How understanding your "dark side" leads to empathy and growth

Take the SHEER Assessment:
https://sheerpersonality.com

Hang out with Cara:
https://carasteinmann.com
https://getrhaina.com

Hang out with Deanna:
https://deannaseymour.com
https://jointheplayhouse.com
https://instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎃 Come to the Halloween Networking Party!
www.jointheplayhouse.com/party

📲 Grab the FREE Static 9 Grid Planner:
deannaseymour.com/planner

🙅‍♀️ Grab the FREE Anti-Elevator Pitch Guide:
deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

🏠 Check out The Playhouse: A space for cool humans who happen to have businesses at jointheplayhouse.com

What if having more fun at work could actually help your business thrive? Steph DragonHeart Benedetto’s here to challenge the idea that play and productivity are opposites, and prove that a playful mindset can spark real results.

In this episode:
0:00 Why we think play + productivity can’t mix (and what happens when they do)
2:26 How to redefine play so it fits your business and your personality
5:35 Choosing the “game” you want to play in your business
7:59 Why less pushing and stressing can actually make you more productive
10:28 Simple ways to spot opportunities for play, even if it doesn’t come naturally

The extended episode with a live Q&A for Playhouse members includes:

• What “premature practicality” is and why it kills big idea
• Whether you should focus on strategy before play if money’s tight
• How to experiment with play in your work without feeling silly

Hang out with Steph:
https://www.theawakenedbusiness.com
https://www.theawakenedbusiness.com/wildspire
https://www.dragonheartquest.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanierbenedetto
https://www.youtube.com/@StephBenedetto

Hang out with Deanna:
https://deannaseymour.com
https://instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎃 Come to the Halloween Networking Party!
www.jointheplayhouse.com/party

🙅‍♀️ Grab the FREE Anti-Elevator Pitch Guide:
deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

🏠 Check out The Playhouse: A space for cool humans who happen to have businesses at jointheplayhouse.com

If you ever feel overwhelmed by your to-do list and wonder how to squeeze more joy into your life (without making it another chore), this conversation I had with Ashley Looker is for you boo. Real talk, a little sassy, and maybe even some tears shed around the subject of joy and what it actually means to practice joy every day.

In this episode:

2:29 Why joy is a practice and how to experiment with it
8:56 Joy as a “complete waste of time” (and why that’s powerful)
10:24 The rebellious act of choosing joy
19:00 Feeling “full” vs. feeling “fulfilled” in life
21:29 Joy is found in tiny everyday moments

Hang out with Ashley:
https://instagram.com/ashleylooker
https://ashley-looker.com

Hang out with Deanna:
https://deannaseymour.com
https://jointheplayhouse.com
https://instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎃 Come to the Halloween Networking Party!
www.jointheplayhouse.com/party

📲 Grab the FREE Static 9 Grid Planner:
deannaseymour.com/planner

🙅‍♀️ Grab the FREE Anti-Elevator Pitch Guide:
deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

🏠 Check out The Playhouse: A space for cool humans who happen to have businesses at jointheplayhouse.com

If you think you “suck at systems” this episode is going to totally blow your mind. Trish Markel breaks down why systems aren’t one-size-fits-all, why your routines already count, and how the right system should make your business feel lighter…not harder!

In this episode:
0:00 Why “system shame” is so common for entrepreneurs
1:32 How Trish actually defines systems (it might not be what you think)
5:12 Why it’s okay if someone else’s fancy system doesn’t work for you
9:12 When you actually need a system and when you really don’t
14:01 The real job of a system: increase profit, reduce mental load, or improve client experience

The extended episode with a live Q&A for Playhouse members includes:

• How to automate your business without losing your personality
• Simple systems you can build with tools you probably already have
• The one question to ask before creating any system

Hang out with Trish:
https://www.instagram.com/tasklemonade

Hang out with Deanna:
https://deannaseymour.com
https://instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎃 Come to the Halloween Networking Party!
www.jointheplayhouse.com/party

📲 Grab the FREE Static 9 Grid Planner:
deannaseymour.com/planner

🙅‍♀️ Grab the FREE Anti-Elevator Pitch Guide:
deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

🏠 Check out The Playhouse: A space for cool humans who happen to have businesses at jointheplayhouse.com

What if being weird in your marketing could actually make your business more fun, easier, and even more profitable? That’s what this episode is all about with writer and weird marketing maven Amber Petty.

In this episode:

2:19 Embracing your weird in business and why it's easier than faking it
5:19 Expertise vs. professionalism and letting go of outdated "shoulds"
8:07 Why standing out with your real quirks attracts your people
13:59 Authenticity vs. weirdness and what actually resonates online
26:06 How Amber's "weird" Facebook ads bring in thousands of leads

Hang out with Amber:
amberpetty.com/revenue
instagram.com/ambernpetty

Hang out with Deanna:
deannaseymour.com
jointheplayhouse.com
instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎃 Come to the Halloween Networking Party!
www.jointheplayhouse.com/party

📲 Grab the FREE Static 9 Grid Planner:
deannaseymour.com/planner

🙅‍♀️ Grab the FREE Anti-Elevator Pitch Guide:
deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

🏠 Check out The Playhouse: A space for cool humans who happen to have businesses at jointheplayhouse.com

You can’t control the weather, but you can control how you prepare for it. Annie’s showing us how to face disaster preparedness without fear, shame, or overwhelm, and why it matters more than ever to connect with your neighbors now instead of waiting for a crisis.

In this episode:

0:00 Why emergency preparedness feels overwhelming, and how to make it human
4:46 Fear, stigma, and why we avoid “prepper” conversations
10:27 Community over stockpiling: Why your neighbors matter more than your bunker
16:04 The only three basics you need to start preparing (without going overboard)

We also kept the conversation going with a Live Q&A where we talked about:

• The truth about survival water straws
• Using preparedness materials as a community book club
• Wills, paperwork, water storage, and peace of mind

Hang out with Annie:
https://www.comewhatmayday.com
https://www.instagram.com/comewhatmayday/

Hang out with Deanna:
https://deannaseymour.com
https://instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎃 Come to the Halloween Networking Party!
www.jointheplayhouse.com/party

🙅‍♀️ Grab the FREE Anti-Elevator Pitch Guide:
deannaseymour.com/anti-elevator-pitch

🏠 Check out The Playhouse: A space for cool humans who happen to have businesses at jointheplayhouse.com