In this episode, I’m sitting down with my friend and marketing powerhouse Sophia Parra, the creator of Pocket CMO, to unpack how she grew her business while taking months away from social media. What started as a necessary pause during a difficult personal season turned into a massive realization about what truly moves the needle in marketing—and what doesn’t.

Sophia shares how she rebuilt her business around three core pillars: Growth, Nurture, and Sales, and discovered that none of them required posting every day. She walks us through how she leveraged collaborations, lead magnet swaps, and affiliate partnerships to stay “everywhere” online, even without the constant content grind.

We also dive into her genius Q&A Day strategy that turned conversations into clients (with conversion rates that’ll blow your mind), how she measures success beyond likes and followers, and why relationships: both with peers and potential clients, are the real growth engine.

If you’ve ever felt trapped by the algorithm or terrified to step back from social, this episode is your permission slip to build a business that keeps running, even when you need to rest.

 

Sophia’s Links:

 

→Follow Sophia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiaparra/

→Listen to Marketing #Unfiltered: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-unfiltered/id1644601845 

→Get Sophia's "Why I'm Taking a Step Back From Social" Training here: https://www.gotocoach.club/steppingbackfromsocial 

Meg’s Links:

→Get The Business Story Blueprint here: https://meganyelaney.com/business-story-blueprint 

→Follow Meg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganyelaney/ 

[EXPERT VOICES, UNFILTERED]

Today I’m catching up with one of my biz besties, Ruby Lee, and letting you listen in😎 We talk about how she moved from running multiple high-ticket masterminds to a simple, low-ticket, daily-sales model that feels lighter, more profitable per unit of energy, and wildly her. We also get honest about rough seasons, rebuilding your spark, and creating from flow (not the algorithm).

If you’ve ever wondered whether low-ticket “micro-offers” can attract high-ticket buyers (spoiler: yes), how to keep sales coming in every day without launches, or how to write emails people actually want to read, this one’s your jam.

In this episode, we cover:

• The pivot: Why Ruby paused her masterminds after a draining year and what she did first (a $7 “vision doc” that did $1K in 48 hours).

• Low-ticket ≠ low value: Pricing at $17–$27 while keeping average order value $300–$500 with bumps & upsells.

• Evergreen momentum: Turning live workshops into always-on products and selling them daily.

• High-ticket buyers do buy low-ticket: How micro-offers become a trust-building preview that leads to Ruby’s mastermind—without a hard pitch.

• Email, but human: Ruby’s daily, diary-style emails (sometimes two sentences!) that drive clicks and sales.

• Flow over formulas: Letting your unique genius lead—even when your topic or offers evolve.

Quotables

• “I didn’t quit high-ticket—I stopped leading with it.” —Ruby

• “My freebie is my long-form content. The guides are the paid shortcut.” —Ruby

• “Low-ticket isn’t small—it’s simple. And simple sells daily.” —Meg

Resources & Mentions

• Ruby’s podcast: Flow State Business Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flow-state-business/id1384762015 

• Ruby on Instagram: @rubylee: https://www.instagram.com/_rubylee_/ 

• My episode on Ruby’s podcast : Being the Breadwinner + Mother + and Entrepreneur: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-the-breadwinner-a-mother-an/id1384762015?i=1000730661893

Connect with Meg

• Instagram: @meganyelaney: https://www.instagram.com/meganyelaney

• Get the Business Story Blueprint: https://meganyelaney.com/business-story-blueprint

If this episode helped: send it to a biz bestie, rate & review Business Not As Usual, and tag us with your biggest takeaway. 💥

 

In this episode of Business, Not As Usual, I’m pulling back the curtain on my most recent Distinctive Edge launch—numbers, takeaways, and what actually worked. I’m walking you through the full debrief: how we brought in $96,357 in total sales, the breakdown between my new and continuing clients, where leads came from, and how three key warm-up events all played a role in conversions.

I share the exact stats: from the perfect 10/10 Base and VIP split to which offers converted best, and why this launch felt easier, calmer, and more effective than ever. We’ll talk about how long it really takes someone to buy, why “Goldilocks-level teaching” is the secret to a strong conversion event, and how low-ticket offers can fast-track trust for higher-ticket programs (when done right).

You’ll also hear my honest emotional take on this round: what it was like launching while solo parenting twins for nine days, how I prepped everything early, and why letting go of perfection made this one of my most peaceful launches to date.

If you love behind-the-scenes strategy mixed with a little real-life chaos, this one’s for you.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Distinctive Edge Waitlist — DM “EDGE” or join the waitlist here: https://meganyelaney.com/tde

• Framework Workshop Replay: https://meganyelaney.com/framework-masterclass

• 10K Month Strategy Guide (Free): https://meganyelaney.com/10k-months-strategy

• Business Story Blueprint (Free): https://meganyelaney.com/business-story-blueprint 

 

[EXPERT VOICES, UNFILTERED]

If you’ve ever thought “I just need a new strategy,” this one’s for you. Rachel Joy (NLP trainer, hypnotherapist, and creator of Neuro Recode™) breaks down why your identity and subconscious beliefs set your income ceiling—not your content calendar. We dig into the science (in plain English), how to spot when it’s an identity issue vs. a strategy tweak, and practical ways to shift fast without white-knuckling your way through affirmations.

What you’ll learn

• Identity before strategy: Why your self-image and values dictate results (and how that shows up on camera, in copy, and in sales).

• Subconscious 101 for entrepreneurs: Deleting/distorting/generalizing, why “don’t think of a purple tree” never works, and how to speak to your brain so it listens.

• Belief → behavior → bank account: How tonality + physiology (not just words) make your content “stick.”

• Capacity & seasonality: Building a business that matches your energy (especially for moms / multi-business owners).

• Comparison detox: Simple ways to put on blinders, stop timeline pressure, and regain conviction.

• Tools that actually help: Gentle affirmations that land, exposure therapy done right, hypnosis/NLP for quicker identity shifts.

Quotables

• “It’s all working—and it’s all not working. It works to the extent you believe it will.”

• “Words are only 7% of communication. Tonality and physiology sell your offer before your CTA does.”

• “Impatience is one of the biggest blocks to your success. You can’t rush identity.”

• “If I’m going to get there anyway, why stress about the timeline?”

Rachel’s Links:

→Join NeuroRecode Top Coach Training: https://theracheljoy.systeme.io/topcoachcode

→Get the Confident Coach Hypno Bundle: https://www.theracheljoy.com/confidentcoach

→Connect with Rachel on Instagram: @theracheljoy1

 

Meg’s Links:

→Discover how to craft a powerful business origin story that sets you apart, builds trust, and inspires clients to work with you: https://meganyelaney.com/business-story-blueprint

→Connect with Meg on Instagram: @meganyelaney

[STRATEGY SHIFT]

In this behind-the-scenes solo episode of Business Not As Usual, I’m sharing the exact strategies that helped me sign more than half the spots for The Distinctive Edge before the cart even opened.

Here’s what you’ll hear inside:

• The truth about strategic private invites (and why most people do them wrong).

• How to use self-identifier content to spark conversations and sign clients without “selling.”

• The $47 low-ticket workshop that turned into $20K in sales (and why it works so well).

• Why none of these tactics matter without a clear Distinctive Edge: your unique perspective and framework.

• A raw look at how I’m attempting to balance launch week while solo momming my twins.

If you’ve been relying only on content to sell your offers, this episode will show you what’s really happening behind the curtain, and how you can replicate it.

👉Apply for The Distinctive Edge here: https://meganyelaney.com/tde#application-form-1 

👉DM me on Instagram @meganyelaney to chat about joining this round

👉Check out The Content Fix Replays until 9/24 here (opt in to receive): https://meganyelaney.com/content-fix 

→DM me “Content Review” on Instagram after you’ve joined The Content Fix and I’ll audit your latest piece of sales content: https://www.instagram.com/meganyelaney 

 

Tune into Day 3 of the 3-Day Content fix series we’re hosting from September 16th-18th.

No more dusty testimonials, learn the type of evidence that closes belief gaps and creates demand.

What We Covered:

✅ How to share testimonials so they’re not just “screenshots” with no context: that doesn’t activate people to BUY ✅ Clarity on the types of proof that works to sell through content ✅ Why linking your framework and proof is the key ingredient to actually selling your offer

 

Time Stamp Breakdown:

 

• 18:00: Content That Doesn’t Work Anymore

• 14:40: Case Stories

• 28:15: Types of Proof That Work In Content

• 35:20: Content Example #1

• 37:25: Content Example #2

• 38:48: Content Fix Examples

• 45:39: The Distinctive Edge Process

 

The next cohort of TDE starts on September 29th! Apply for The Distinctive Edge Here: https://meganyelaney.com/tde#application-form 

Sign up here to get The Content Fix replay emails + resources: https://meganyelaney.com/content-fix 

[TDE Client Case Study]

Starting over in business after success in a previous niche can feel frustrating, humbling, and even impossible at times. That’s exactly where Danielle Robin found herself after years as a relationship coach.

After navigating her own major life transition, Danielle knew she wanted to pivot into helping women in their 30s and 40s recover from long-term breakups—but she was stuck on how to position herself in this new version of her business.

She had the experience. She had the drive. But what she didn’t have was clear messaging that set her apart.

Inside The Distinctive Edge (TDE), Danielle rediscovered her voice, clarified her story, and began marketing in a way that felt authentic and compelling. In this client case study episode of Business Not As Usual, you’ll hear:

• Why messaging is the missing link when pivoting into a new niche.

• The difference between standing out in 2017 vs. today’s coaching industry (and why the “game has changed”).

• How Danielle went from being paused for 9 months to sending her first emails, posting again on Instagram, and signing clients.

• Why taking the program at her own pace actually accelerated her breakthroughs.

• The unexpected wins she celebrated—like finally launching her Substack after sitting on it for nearly a year.

Danielle’s story is proof that you don’t need all the stars to align to start signing clients. Even in a pivot, even if you’ve been “off” for a while—you can rebuild, reignite your confidence, and create a business that reflects where you are now.

👉 Apply for The Distinctive Edge here: https://meganyelaney.com/tde 

👉 Connect with Danielle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dani__robin/ 

👉Check out Danielle’s Substack: https://substack.com/@danirobin 

 

[CONTENT FIX] DAY 2: How to turn your framework into content that sells for you

 

Tune into Day 2 of the 3-Day Content fix series we’re hosting from September 16th-18th.

In today’s workshop we’re showing you how to share your process IN your content so people finally “get” what you do and see you as the only choice.

What We Covered:

✅ A simple way to explain why your clients get such great results ✅ A formula to share your process in a post ✅ A way to have every single piece of content show why YOUR offer is the one they’ve been missing.

Time Stamp Breakdown:

• 14:35: My 5X Income Jump When I Leaned Into My Distinctive Edge

• 20:00: Mapping Out Your Unique Process

• 22:00: Mary’s Framework Example

• 26:10: Mistelle’s Framework Example

• 28:10: First Framework Content Piece Example

• 35:10: Second Framework Content Piece Example

• 57:36: BTS of The Distinctive Edge (Slack + Course Curriculum + Homeworks + Material Reviews and more) 

 

The next cohort of TDE starts on September 29th! Apply for The Distinctive Edge Here: https://meganyelaney.com/tde#application-form 

Sign up here to get The Content Fix replay emails + resources: https://meganyelaney.com/content-fix 

 

[TDE Client Case Study]

What happens when two powerhouse service providers join forces, refine their messaging, and finally package their expertise into a scalable program?

Ellie Johnson and Megan Harrington, the creative-tech duo behind brand and web strategy services, share their journey inside The Distinctive Edge (TDE) — and the results are BIG:

✅ Signed new Done-For-You contracts straight from their revamped content ✅ Enrolled three clients into their brand-new Bankable Services Accelerator before the public launch ✅ Built a simple, memorable framework (“The Machine”) that makes their offers crystal clear ✅ Boosted their confidence to sell high-ticket coaching alongside their DFY services

In this candid conversation, we unpack:

• Why they went from relying on Facebook groups to building a stronger Instagram presence

• The exact mindset shift that helped them branch into the coaching side of their business with imposter syndrome rearing it’s ugly head

• How one “unhinged” post paid for the program itself

• The surprising clarity that came from simplifying their message down to ONE big idea

If you’re a service provider (or coach) who’s tired of blending in, this episode will show you what’s possible when you nail your story, create a framework that sticks, and put yourself in rooms that sharpen your message.

📌Connect with Ellie & Megan: https://www.instagram.com/zestfulmediadesign/ 

📌Apply For The Distinctive Edge: https://meganyelaney.com/tde 

[TDE Client Case Study]

What if the only thing standing between you and consistent clients wasn’t your strategy or certifications…but your story?

That’s exactly what happened for my client, Kristin Wyatt, a nutrition coach, mom of two, and graduate of The Distinctive Edge. In this episode, Kristen shares how clarifying her story and leaning into her unique edge helped her sign 5 dream 1-1 clients in just 6 weeks (plus fill 4 spots in her brand-new group program before she even launched it publicly!).

We talk about:

• How Kristin went from “my message isn’t landing” to attracting the exact women she wanted to help

• The moment she realized her lifelong struggle with weight wasn’t just her story, it was her superpower in coaching

• The specific shifts in storytelling and positioning that helped her clients say, “I feel like you’re talking directly to me”

• Why she now feels confident charging for her expertise and only taking on aligned clients

• The biggest breakthrough she had inside The Distinctive Edge (and why she wishes she joined sooner!)

If you’ve ever felt like your message wasn’t resonating or you weren’t sure how to stand out, this episode will give you a front-row seat into what happens when you uncover and own your Distinctive Edge.

 

→Follow Kristen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyatt.wellness/ 

 

→Apply for The Distinctive Edge here: https://meganyelaney.com/tde 

 

→Take a peek inside the material reviews: https://vimeo.com/1087407572?fl=pl&fe=sh