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

If you’ve ever been called “too sensitive” or felt like you’re somehow both “too much” and “not enough,” you’re going to want to push play on this chat with Melissa Parks, Ph.D., a therapist-turned-coach, new author, and expert on self-compassion, inner critics, and finding peace with who you truly are.

In this episode:

3:13 Embracing sensitivity and why it’s not a flaw
6:49 Why self-compassion is a lifelong practice (not a finish line!)
10:03 The “too much / not enough” paradox and why we feel both
15:01 How your inner critic is a sneaky shapeshifter
23:49 The power of writing a letter from your 80-year-old self

Hang out with Melissa:
https://melissaparks.com
https://instagram.com/melissaparks
https://facebook.com/melissaparks
https://linkedin.com/in/melissaparks

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

🎄 We'd love for you to join us at the Playhouse Christmas Party!
jointheplayhouse.com/christmas-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

I’m chatting with Jaime Nolan from the Anima Collective about why a retreat should send you home with a plan, and how ADHD or multi-passionate business owners can actually get stuff done (and not want to burn their businesses down every six weeks!)

In this episode:

2:27 The amazing retreat house that makes it all possible
5:49 Why in-person retreats help women entrepreneurs break through
7:25 Planning your business year so you don’t scramble last-minute
10:31 The “six months vs. six weeks” theory for business progress
14:48 How multi-passionate/ADHD entrepreneurs can rotate their offers for more focus

Hang out with Jaime:
https://www.theanimacollective.com
https://www.instagram.com/the_anima_collective
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimenolan
https://www.youtube.com/@theanimalcollective

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

🎄 We'd love for you to join us at the Playhouse Christmas Party!
jointheplayhouse.com/christmas-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 storytelling in business means you needed some huge dramatic backstory, this conversation with Reme Mancera will completely change your mind. We talked about how the smallest moments from your life can actually become the most powerful way to build trust, connection, and authority with your audience.

In this episode:
0:00 Why storytelling matters and how stories build trust
5:00 Why you do not need an “epic” story to connect with people
10:45 How small personal stories make your brand more memorable

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

• How to know which stories actually matter to your audience
• How to stop worrying about repeating yourself online
• Creative ways to tell the same story from different angles
• How to find your natural storytelling voice
• Balancing storytelling without oversharing

Hang out with Reme:
https://storyconnectors.com

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

🎄 We'd love for you to join us at the Playhouse Christmas Party!
jointheplayhouse.com/christmas-party

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

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

I'm talking with Melissa Mittelstaedt, an Accredited Financial Counselor®, about why focusing on money in your business doesn't make you greedy or gross. We get into the "$80k month" posts that drive me bonkers, gross vs. net, and whether you can be rich without being a total jerk.

In this episode:

0:00 Why focusing on money in your business doesn't make you an a$$hole

3:30 The "ick" of six-figure-month posts in online business

11:30 Gross vs. net and what those money brag posts leave out

18:30 How to use discernment when a money post triggers you

25:00 Maaaaybe a couple rich people who aren't jerks

33:00 Why your business and personal finances need equal attention

40:00 Defining what "rich enough" actually looks like for YOU

Hang out with Melissa:
https://www.melissamitt.com/links
https://www.instagram.com/_melissamitt/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-mittelstaedt/

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

🎄 We'd love for you to join us at the Playhouse Christmas Party!
jointheplayhouse.com/christmas-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

Good messaging used to be enough. In 2026? You need messaging that actually sounds like you, calls in the right people, and makes your audience immediately feel seen.

In this episode:
0:00 Why “good enough” messaging stopped working in 2026
4:58 The problem with vague messaging like “overwhelmed”
9:49 Why specific messaging attracts better-fit clients
12:21 Jen’s MVP framework: Messaging, Voice, and Positioning
26:09 Why constant how-to content is hurting your marketing

We also kept the conversation going with a Live Q&A where we talked about:
How to make your messaging more specific without feeling boxed in
The difference between messaging, copy, and content
How to use personality in your marketing without oversharing online
Why positioning matters even if you offer the same service as everyone else
The “hedging” words making your content sound watered down

Hang out with Jen:
https://jenliddy.com
https://jenliddy.com/quiz
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenliddy/

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

🎄 We'd love for you to join us at the Playhouse Christmas Party!
jointheplayhouse.com/christmas-party

📲 Grab the FREE Static 9 Grid Planner:
jointheplayhouse.com/freeasy-static-9-grid-planner

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

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

I’m talking to Seth Werkheiser from Social Media Escape Club about getting off social media, building simple websites, and finding a better way to connect with people online.

In this episode:

2:36 Building simple websites from scratch
5:06 Why simple websites feel empowering
8:17 My rant about long sales pages
14:06 Seth’s social media history and leaving
17:35 How he gets clients without social

Hang out with Seth:
https://socialmediaescape.club/

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

🎄 We'd love for you to join us at the Playhouse Christmas Party!
jointheplayhouse.com/christmas-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 don’t need a massive website to look legit. You need something simple that actually reflects where your business is right now.

In this episode:
0:00 Why you don’t need a big, complicated website
2:18 How doing too much leads to burnout fast
6:00 What your website actually needs when you’re starting
11:50 Letting your website evolve as your business changes
16:05 What to check when you update your site

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

• How to update your website without overthinking it
• What actually matters when you’re reviewing your site
• The difference between technical fixes and content updates
• Easy ways to keep your site current without a full overhaul
• Managing your website alongside everything else in your business

Hang out with Rene Morozowich:
https://renemorozowich.com/connect/

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

🎄 We'd love for you to join us at the Playhouse Christmas Party!
jointheplayhouse.com/christmas-party

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

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

I’m obsessed with this simple idea for sharing your work without burning out. Kate Sage is using a weekly podcast digest to add value to her email newsletter, showcase her expertise, and shout out other creators.

In this episode:
0:00 Why she ditched the idea of starting a podcast and did this instead
2:33 The simple format behind her weekly podcast digest
5:49 How she stays consistent without burning out or overthinking content
12:00 Why her audience actually reads and loves these emails
17:10 How this idea evolved from something that wasn’t working
24:00 The unexpected way curating content builds trust and authority

Hang out with Kate Sage:
sageef.com

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

🎄 We'd love for you to join us at the Playhouse Christmas Party!
jointheplayhouse.com/christmas-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

Burnout isn’t just being tired, and most people don’t realize how many different ways it can show up. I’m talking with Megan Winkler about the real types of burnout, how to spot them earlier, and how to actually recover without making it another thing on your to-do list.

In this episode:
0:00 The different types of burnout most people don’t even realize exist
2:00 Why burnout isn’t just physical and how it actually shows up
7:14 Why women and creatives are more prone to burnout
11:00 The subtle signs you’re heading toward burnout before you crash
19:40 The simplest way to start recovering without adding more to your plate

Hang out with Megan Winkler:
meganwinkler.com
meganwinkler.com/book

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

🎄 We'd love for you to join us at the Playhouse Christmas Party!
jointheplayhouse.com/christmas-party

📲 Grab the FREE Static 9 Grid Planner:
jointheplayhouse.com/freeasy-static-9-grid-planner

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

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

What if building your business felt more like trusting yourself... and less like following someone else’s rules for pricing, marketing, and growth?

In this episode:

00:00 Intro to Jess Langley, business doula + creative entrepreneur
02:50 What a business doula is and how it applies to online business
07:20 Using astrology for self-awareness and business decisions
10:00 What a business astrology reading includes (branding, pricing, marketing)
16:10 How to price your work based on value + ditch the  starving artist mindset
22:20 Spice Girls, creativity, and building a business that actually fits you

Hang out with Jess:

https://www.thecolorfuljess.com/
https://www.threads.com/@thecolorfuljess
https://www.instagram.com/thecolorfuljess/
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/alwaysevolvingcoffeechats/

Hang out with Deanna:

https://deannaseymour.com
https://jointheplayhouse.com
https://instagram.com/thedeannaseymour

🎄 We'd love for you to join us at the Playhouse Christmas Party!
jointheplayhouse.com/christmas-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