There have been seasons in my business where I seriously wondered if I should quit.
Not because I didn’t love the work, but because the rejection felt personal, the growth felt slow, and my confidence took a hit.

In this episode of Doing Business Like a Woman, I’m talking honestly about what it really takes to get out of your own way and keep going as a woman entrepreneur. I share real stories from my own business, including a stretch where I heard “no” over and over again, and the mindset shifts that helped me stay in the game long enough to build the business I have today.

In this episode, I talk about:

If you need encouragement to get out of your own way and keep going, especially during the seasons that feel discouraging, slow, or uncertain, this episode is for you.

00:00 – Why getting out of your own way matters more than ever
02:00 – Why business is harder than most people admit
04:00 – Growth is our natural state
07:00 – How to reflect on a “non-revenue growth” year without spiraling
09:30 – Why failure and rejection feel can feel personal
14:30 – Learning to feel disappointment instead of avoiding it
16:30 – How resilience is actually built
18:30 – Creating enthusiasm and energy on purpose
21:00 – Why your energy matters more than your strategy
23:00 – What it really means to bet on yourself
25:30 – Making decisions faster and trusting yourself as CEO
27:00 – Encouragement for the year ahead

📩 Sign up to receive my Friday Newsletter! https://avanticreativegroup.mykajabi.com/newsletter-opt

💭 Your thoughts and experiences matter to me! Share your takeaways from this episode with me. https://www.speakpipe.com/DoingBusinessLikeAWomanPodcast

🌐 Website: https://www.melissamkellogg.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamkellogg/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_m_kellogg/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAcademy4Women 

Want to Grow Your Sales, Doing What You Love, in the time you have?? Then, you’ve got to go and grab my free on-demand video training that will teach you my simple process for creating compounding results from the sales and marketing strategies you are already using. Get the training HERE.

Subscribe to the podcast + download each episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

What if the voice you keep doubting is actually the one that knows exactly what to do next?

In this episode of Doing Business Like a Woman, I’m joined by my client Frankie Rollins, founder of The Fifth Brain Collective, writer, teacher, and entrepreneur. Frankie helps people trust themselves enough to bring their ideas to life, especially the ones they’ve been sitting on for years.

We talk about writing, creativity, entrepreneurship, leadership, and the deep similarities between them. This conversation is for any woman who knows she has something to say, something to build, something to offer… and keeps second-guessing herself anyway.

In this episode, Frankie and I talk about:

This is one of those conversations that reminds you that you’re not broken, behind, or missing anything. You already know more than you think.

00:00 – Welcome and introducing Frankie Rollins
02:00 – Why helping people get their writing done matters so deeply
04:30 – Everyone has a story and why the world needs all of them
06:30 – Frankie’s accidental path into entrepreneurship
09:30 – Leaving academia and choosing herself
12:00 – Trusting yourself before you know how it will work
14:00 – What the Fifth Brain really is
17:00 – How tiny rules limit creativity and business growth
20:00 – Writing, entrepreneurship, and self trust
23:00 – Why permission is not required to create
26:00 – Mindset shifts around money and abundance
29:00 – Becoming the next version of yourself as a leader
32:00 – Leading from your Fifth Brain
35:00 – What Frankie is building next
38:00 – How to connect with Frankie and The Fifth Brain Collective
41:00 – Final thoughts and encouragement

🌐 Website: https://www.frankierollins.com/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fifth_brain_collective_writing/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/e.frankierollins

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fifthbraincollective

🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fifthbraincollective

📩 Sign up to receive my Friday Newsletter! https://avanticreativegroup.mykajabi.com/newsletter-opt

💭 Your thoughts and experiences matter to me! Share your takeaways from this episode with me. https://www.speakpipe.com/DoingBusinessLikeAWomanPodcast

🌐 Website: https://www.melissamkellogg.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamkellogg/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_m_kellogg/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAcademy4Women 

Want to Grow Your Sales, Doing What You Love, in the time you have?? Then, you’ve got to go and grab my free on-demand video training that will teach you my simple process for creating compounding results from the sales and marketing strategies you are already using. Get the training HERE.

Subscribe to the podcast + download each episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

I was sitting at the dinner table with my teenagers the other night, and somehow the conversation shifted to a topic on AI, creativity, and trust. I wasn’t surprised by their opinions on the technology, because they frequently poke fun at me for using it. However, it was moving to hear how deeply they care about what’s real and the importance of actually thinking for themselves.

And that got me thinking…. these kids are the next generation of buyers. And honestly, they’re already influencing how trust works in the marketplace.

In this episode of Doing Business Like a Woman, I’m sharing my honest perspective on how trust-driven businesses can use AI in their marketing.

I teach you:

If you’ve been wondering how to use AI without losing connection, credibility, or confidence, this conversation will help you find your footing.

00:00 – A family dinner conversation about AI
02:10 – Why my kids are uncomfortable with not knowing what’s real
04:40 – These teenagers are future clients and decision makers
06:30 – Why trust feels harder to build right now
08:15 – What a “trust recession” means for service businesses
10:20 – The question I ask before using AI for anything
12:40 – Why I refuse to let AI replace my wisdom or intellect
15:10 – How I think about AI as an assistant, not a leader
17:45 – Where AI helps me save time without losing connection
20:30 – How I repurpose content using AI without outsourcing my voice
23:15 – What I want you thinking about before you use AI in your business
25:00 – Final thoughts on trust, leadership, and staying human

📩 Sign up to receive my Friday Newsletter! https://avanticreativegroup.mykajabi.com/newsletter-opt

💭 Your thoughts and experiences matter to me! Share your takeaways from this episode with me. https://www.speakpipe.com/DoingBusinessLikeAWomanPodcast

🌐 Website: https://www.melissamkellogg.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamkellogg/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_m_kellogg/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAcademy4Women 

Want to Grow Your Sales, Doing What You Love, in the time you have?? Then, you’ve got to go and grab my free on-demand video training that will teach you my simple process for creating compounding results from the sales and marketing strategies you are already using. Get the training HERE.

Subscribe to the podcast + download each episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

Have you ever caught yourself spiraling over your pricing, trying to find the “perfect” marketing strategy, or doubting your value as a business owner?

In this episode of Doing Business Like a Woman, I’m talking all about value — one of the most important concepts you need to understand if you want consistent clients and sustainable income.

I teach you:

I guarantee, by the end of this episode, you’ll be well on your way toward your marketing feeling more simple and grounded.

00:00 – Why understanding value changed everything in my business
01:30 – The most common question women ask about marketing
03:00 – What “value” actually means in business
04:10 – The difference between inherent worth and business value
05:30 – Why women take marketing results personally
07:00 – How value creates the exchange of money
09:00 – Why value is fluid and always evolving
10:45 – How certainty increases perceived value
12:00 – What marketing really is in trust-driven businesses
13:45 – How value stacks and leads clients to say yes
15:30 – Why obsessing over best-fit clients changes everything
17:30 – Real examples of value you can offer consistently
19:30 – How to stop guessing and start asking your people
21:00 – Invitation to get support clarifying your value

📩 Sign up to receive my Friday Newsletter! https://avanticreativegroup.mykajabi.com/newsletter-opt

💭 Your thoughts and experiences matter to me! Share your takeaways from this episode with me. https://www.speakpipe.com/DoingBusinessLikeAWomanPodcast

🌐 Website: https://www.melissamkellogg.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamkellogg/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_m_kellogg/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAcademy4Women 

Want to Grow Your Sales, Doing What You Love, in the time you have?? Then, you’ve got to go and grab my free on-demand video training that will teach you my simple process for creating compounding results from the sales and marketing strategies you are already using. Get the training HERE.

Subscribe to the podcast + download each episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

My guest & client Jenn Adamson told me, “We can’t create anything sustainable unless we feel safe in our own bodies.” And if you’ve ever tried to grow a business while also battling self-doubt, perfectionism, or a nervous system that feels like it’s on a roller coaster… you know exactly what she means.

In this beautiful conversation of the Doing Business Like a Woman podcast, Jenn and I talk about:

✨ What it really means to bet on yourself
✨ The link between self-trust and making brave business decisions
✨ Why perfection disconnects us from clients, and presence builds trust
✨ How Jenn rebuilt her leadership approach after burnout
✨ The emotional, spiritual, and practical work behind becoming the woman who can hold big success

We also talk about slowing down, creating white space, regulating our nervous systems, feeling alive again, and why investing in coaching is an act of devotion to your future self. This conversation is one I know will stay with you long after you listen.

00:00 – Welcome & why this conversation is so needed right now
01:00 – Introducing Jenn and her extraordinary professional background
03:00 – Understanding subconscious beliefs & how they drive our results
05:00 – Who Jenn serves today & the evolution of her leadership work
07:00 – Burnout, achievement, and the hollow feeling success can bring
09:00 – Regulation, safety, and why our bodies tell the truth first
11:00 – The dance between ambition, joy, and enjoying the journey
14:00 – Vision, becoming “her,” and why creation starts on the inside
17:00 – Doing business like a woman: presence, softness, trust
21:00 – Why people buy from safety, not perfection
24:00 – The nursing story that changed how Jenn leads forever
28:00 – Grace, beginner energy & creating psychological safety
32:00 – White space: why your business needs you to slow down
36:00 – High-impact action vs. busy work
39:00 – Celebrating Jenn’s massive growth year
43:00 – Courage, emotions & why most women hold themselves back
45:00 – What every woman should know about coaching
48:00 – How to connect with Jenn & an invitation to reach out

🌐 Website: www.jennadamson.com

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/iamjennadamson

📸 Instagram: instagram.com/iamjennadamson

📘 Facebook: facebook.com/iamjennadamson

🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/@iamjennadamson

📩 Sign up to receive my Friday Newsletter! https://avanticreativegroup.mykajabi.com/newsletter-opt

💭 Your thoughts and experiences matter to me! Share your takeaways from this episode with me. https://www.speakpipe.com/DoingBusinessLikeAWomanPodcast

🌐 Website: https://www.melissamkellogg.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamkellogg/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_m_kellogg/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAcademy4Women 

Want to Grow Your Sales, Doing What You Love, in the time you have?? Then, you’ve got to go and grab my free on-demand video training that will teach you my simple process for creating compounding results from the sales and marketing strategies you are already using. Get the training HERE.

Subscribe to the podcast + download each episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I must be bad at marketing,” because you aren’t getting consistent clients?

In this episode of Doing Business Like a Woman, Melissa does a deep dive into the client journey and the best way to market while staying connected to your brilliance.

You’ll learn:

If you want marketing to feel natural, collaborative, and not weird, you need a client journey that supports you and your clients. Let this episode be the first step in building yours today.

00:00 — Setting the stage for why your client journey matters.
01:00 – Why marketing feels overwhelming
03:00 – Why there’s no one “magic marketing strategy”
04:00 – Perfection creates disconnection
05:00 – Shifting your focus from strategy to the human you’re best suited to serve
06:30 – The tangible and intangible parts of a client journey
07:30 – Why intentional client journeys help selling feel natural and collaborative
09:00 – How I built my own client journey
14:00 – Why nurturing the relationship is always the priority
16:00 – How to offer a clear next step without overwhelming them
17:00 – Why you need to keep it simple
18:30 – Entrepreneurship as a series of experiments and how your client journey fits in.
19:00 – An invitation to work together on your client journey

📩 Sign up to receive my Friday Newsletter! https://avanticreativegroup.mykajabi.com/newsletter-opt

💭 Your thoughts and experiences matter to me! Share your takeaways from this episode with me. https://www.speakpipe.com/DoingBusinessLikeAWomanPodcast

🌐 Website: https://www.melissamkellogg.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamkellogg/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_m_kellogg/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAcademy4Women 

Want to Grow Your Sales, Doing What You Love, in the time you have?? Then, you’ve got to go and grab my free on-demand video training that will teach you my simple process for creating compounding results from the sales and marketing strategies you are already using. Get the training HERE.

Subscribe to the podcast + download each episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

What if bringing in clients has nothing to do with saying the perfect words, having a flawless elevator pitch, or finding the “right room”? What if the magic is actually in trusting your natural gifts of connection, communication, and service?

In this episode of Doing Business Like a Woman, Melissa shares the most important step in any marketing plan: nurturing relationships.

You’ll learn:

Let this episode be a gentle reminder to lean into your natural gifts. With a bit of support, marketing can be simple, magnetic, and even fun!

00:00 — Melissa’s introduction about a gorgeous fall morning, the northern lights, and setting the tone for nurturing relationships
1:30 — The three steps of a simple marketing plan (and the most important one)
03:00 — Why embodying your business value makes marketing magnetic
04:00 — “I’m doing so much… why am I not getting clients?”
05:00 — What if every room is the right room because you are there?
06:00 — Trusting yourself: your words, your energy, your value
07:00 — Relationship before revenue
08:30 — Showing up with intention to connect instead of pressure
10:00 — The “trust recession” and today’s longer buy cycle
12:00 — Women are natural nurturers, and that’s a business superpower
13:00 — Give energy vs get energy in business
16:00 — Understanding your client journey and simple next steps
18:00 — Zig Ziglar’s wisdom: help them get what they want
20:00 — The tomato garden metaphor (nurture until they ripen)
23:00 — Practical ways Melissa nurtures in her own business
26:00 — How often relationships actually need connection
29:00 — Invitation to build your own intentional, simple client journey

📩 Sign up to receive my Friday Newsletter! https://avanticreativegroup.mykajabi.com/newsletter-opt

💭 Your thoughts and experiences matter to me! Share your takeaways from this episode with me. https://www.speakpipe.com/DoingBusinessLikeAWomanPodcast

🌐 Website: https://www.melissamkellogg.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamkellogg/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_m_kellogg/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAcademy4Women 

Want to Grow Your Sales, Doing What You Love, in the time you have?? Then, you’ve got to go and grab my free on-demand video training that will teach you my simple process for creating compounding results from the sales and marketing strategies you are already using. Get the training HERE.

Subscribe to the podcast + download each episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

Do you pour your heart into your business, but find yourself thinking, “Why isn’t this working? What am I missing?”

In this episode of Doing Business Like a Woman, Melissa shares one of the most overlooked fundamentals of marketing: consistently bringing new people into your world. You’ll learn how to connect with a bigger audience, create easier sales, and make a wider impact.

Melissa shares:

By the end of this episode, you’ll be on your way to creating authentic connections without gimmicks or feeling like you need to turn into someone you’re not. You deserve marketing that feels sustainable and that feels like YOU.

00:00 — Welcome & intention for the episode
01:00 — Marketing fundamentals that actually matter
03:00 — Why your energy is the magic behind every strategy
05:00 — The real purpose of marketing is to create sales opportunities
06:00 — Melissa’s 3-part marketing system
08:00 — Signs you may not be bringing in enough new people
10:00 — Why new people create fresh air in your business
13:00 — Four simple structures for meeting new people
17:00 — How social platforms push your content to new audiences and which content types matter most
18:30 — How to get in front of other people’s audiences
20:00 — How hosting events can build presence and proximity
22:00 — The energy that makes this work being curiosity, generosity, and building trust
24:00 — The results of doing this well brings a bigger audience, easier sales, and wider impact
26:00 — An invitation for a free strategy consultation and private coaching support

📩 Sign up to receive my Friday Newsletter! https://avanticreativegroup.mykajabi.com/newsletter-opt

💭 Your thoughts and experiences matter to me! Share your takeaways from this episode with me. https://www.speakpipe.com/DoingBusinessLikeAWomanPodcast

🌐 Website: https://www.melissamkellogg.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamkellogg/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_m_kellogg/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAcademy4Women 

Want to Grow Your Sales, Doing What You Love, in the time you have?? Then, you’ve got to go and grab my free on-demand video training that will teach you my simple process for creating compounding results from the sales and marketing strategies you are already using. Get the training HERE.

Subscribe to the podcast + download each episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

Does your marketing feel cluttered, chaotic, or disconnected?

In this episode of Doing Business Like a Woman, Melissa walks you through a simple 3-step process to declutter your marketing and clarify what’s really moving the needle in your business.

You’ll learn how to simplify your strategy, track what matters, and focus on the marketing activities that actually create sales opportunities so you can scale with clarity.

Inside, Melissa shares:

— Why cluttered marketing = inconsistent results
— The 3 questions that clarify your marketing plan
— How to reverse-engineer your client journey
— Why audience growth directly drives revenue
— A powerful mindset shift about marketing metrics and results

By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with a clear, simplified plan on how to reconnect, refocus, and take the next steps to scale your business.

00:00 – Welcome and tech hiccups
01:00 – What “clutter” really means in your marketing
04:00 – The Oxford definition of clutter (and how it applies to your plan)
07:00 – Step 1: Take inventory of all marketing activities
08:45 – Step 2: Evaluate — what’s working, what’s not, what are you learning?
12:30 – Metrics that matter vs. vanity metrics
14:30 – What data should actually guide your decisions
15:30 – Audience growth = revenue growth
17:00 – Buyers want relationship before revenue
18:00 – Step 3: Decide what to keep, simplify, or stop doing
20:00 – 1:1 strategy session invitation
21:00 – What’s coming next week on the podcast

📩 Sign up to receive my Friday Newsletter! https://avanticreativegroup.mykajabi.com/newsletter-opt

💭 Your thoughts and experiences matter to me! Share your takeaways from this episode with me. https://www.speakpipe.com/DoingBusinessLikeAWomanPodcast

🌐 Website: https://www.melissamkellogg.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamkellogg/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_m_kellogg/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAcademy4Women 

Want to Grow Your Sales, Doing What You Love, in the time you have?? Then, you’ve got to go and grab my free on-demand video training that will teach you my simple process for creating compounding results from the sales and marketing strategies you are already using. Get the training HERE.

Subscribe to the podcast + download each episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

What if it’s not too late to create exactly what you want — in business and in life — before the year ends

In this power-packed episode of Doing Business Like a Woman, Melissa shares a motivating (and science-backed!) approach to goal setting that activates your natural instincts and helps you build momentum — one step at a time.

You’ll learn how to stop spinning in overwhelm and start taking aligned action toward the business results you truly want.

Inside, Melissa shares:

✨ The “10-week turnaround” strategy — even if you’re starting from zero
✨ Why breaking your goals into dopamine-friendly chunks creates real momentum
✨ How to reconnect with your inner goal-getter (yes, she’s still there)
✨ The comeback story that proves it’s not over until it’s over
✨ A simple way to reverse-engineer $50k (or whatever your goal is) before the year ends

Whether your year has been strong or shaky — this is your moment to choose how you finish. You’re only 10 weeks away from creating something extraordinary. Let’s go!

00:00 – Welcome + Why it’s not too late
03:00 – The power of your prefrontal cortex (aka your goal-setting superpower)
05:45 – The Denver Broncos comeback: A metaphor for your business
09:00 – Set your “scary-fun” Q4 target
13:00 – Break it down: The $50k case study
17:00 – Dopamine and goal-setting: How your body helps your business
20:00 – Shrink the horizon: Find your next 5-minute win
25:00 – The hockey metaphor that will shift your strategy
29:00 – What can you create today that leads to connection and revenue?
32:00 – Recap: 4-step process for a powerful year-end
34:00 – Book your 1:1 Q4 strategy session with Melissa

📩 Sign up to receive my Friday Newsletter! https://avanticreativegroup.mykajabi.com/newsletter-opt

💭 Your thoughts and experiences matter to me! Share your takeaways from this episode with me. https://www.speakpipe.com/DoingBusinessLikeAWomanPodcast

🌐 Website: https://www.melissamkellogg.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamkellogg/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_m_kellogg/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAcademy4Women 

Want to Grow Your Sales, Doing What You Love, in the time you have?? Then, you’ve got to go and grab my free on-demand video training that will teach you my simple process for creating compounding results from the sales and marketing strategies you are already using. Get the training HERE.

Subscribe to the podcast + download each episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.