Enthusiastically Self-Employed: LinkedIn tips, Business tips, and Marketing tips for the self-employed & small business owners

This episode is a member spotlight interview from my Marketing with Meller membership and learning community.

Annette Richmond is the founder of Black Dog Marketing Strategies, where she helps people stop dreading video and start treating it like any other part of their marketing. Think "I'm writing a post today" energy, but for video. She coaches, trains, and speaks on video marketing. She's also the author of Mastering Short-Form Video Content, and yes, she's on video on the cover (you can thank me for that one). Annette is a founding member of Marketing with Meller and a former coaching client. This is her third time on the podcast, which officially gets her into the Three-Timers Club. The mug is still in development.

Annette walked us through her Smarter Faster Fun Video Bootcamp and how it changed shape based on what participants told her. The first version was four days of training packed into one week, and people said it was too much. So she moved the training into an on-demand program and paired it with six weeks of live group coaching, where you bring your videos and get real feedback. Full disclosure: I'm a bootcamp alum, and I'm in the current cohort too. That's how I ended up redoing a picture-in-picture video because my kitchen ceiling fan kept showing up in my background. Annette's big point is that nobody is a "natural" on video. You build the muscle by recording over and over until you stop overthinking it. Her other big point is that a real person you can ask questions of beats a library of free tutorials, because you don't know what you don't know.

In Q&A, Sue Griffey asked what to do with the 14 days of practice videos you record at the start of the bootcamp (spoiler: Day 15 is the payoff). Sam Jennings asked which blockers feel heavy but turn out to be easy, and Annette's answer comes down to one mindset shift: it's not about you, it's about the message. Liz M. Lopez asked about Annette's favorite trick shot, and the answer involves a mid-air outfit change and a set of backup singers who all happen to be Annette. And Elaine Belson asked why someone should use video at all, which gave us the best one-liner of the episode: video is the fastest way to build trust.

 00:00 Episode Preview
 00:30 Welcome to the Three-Timers Club
 03:30 Meet Annette Richmond
 04:41 What Viewers Are Really Thinking: "Is This Relevant to Me?"
 05:48 The Smarter Faster Fun Video Bootcamp
 07:20 How the Bootcamp Evolved Based on Feedback
 08:54 Picture-in-Picture and the Ceiling Fan Blooper
 10:34 Expert Access: Why a Real Person Beats Free Tutorials
 12:08 Who the Bootcamp Is Not For
 14:08 Sue Griffey: What Happens to Your 14-Day Videos?
 16:43 Sam Jennings: Which Blockers Are Easier Than They Look?
 18:45 Liz M. Lopez: What's Your Favorite Fun Shot?
 20:34 Elaine Belson: Why Should I Use Video at All?
 23:15 Shining the Spotlight and the Abundance Mentality
 24:27 Where to Find the SFF Video Bootcamp
 26:37 Final Thoughts: Just Hit Record
 27:57 Upcoming Marketing with Meller Events

Resources:

• Connect with Annette on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annetterichmond/
•  Visit Black Dog Marketing Strategies: https://blackdogmarketingstrategies.com/
•  Smarter Faster Fun Video Bootcamp: https://blackdogmarketingstrategies.com/smarter-faster-fun-video-bootcamp/
•  Get Annette's book, Mastering Short-Form Video Content: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFWJLTQ5
•  Join Marketing with Meller: https://www.mellermarketing.com/join

Videos mentioned in this episode:

• My picture-in-picture video (ceiling fan removed!): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdsAkswTLay/
• My side-by-side video, a technique I learned in Annette's bootcamp: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUWHIu-E3oV/
• A highlight clip I made with Opus Clip: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdZZtoGj-dP/

Catch Annette's previous episodes on this podcast:
✅ Video Marketing Magic: On/Off Camera with Annette Richmond (Ep 183)
✅ Leveraging TikTok and Video Marketing (Ep 63)

Shout Outs:

Shout out to Sue Griffey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suegriffey/
Shout out to Sam Jennings II: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsamjennings/
Shout out to Liz M. Lopez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizmlopez/
Shout out to Elaine Belson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainebelsonlcsw/

Support the show

**************************************
My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie. 

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller 
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast) 

This episode is a member spotlight interview from my Marketing with Meller membership and learning community.

Tom Wells is the Chief Connector at Wells Virtual Bookkeeping, a women-owned, family-run virtual bookkeeping firm based just outside Kansas City. Tom spent 42 years in healthcare (radiology tech, radiation oncology, heart cath lab, and 22 years as a department director) before leaving corporate life in January 2024 to join his wife Sharon full-time. Sharon founded the business seven-plus years ago on 30-plus years in accounting experience, starting with a few hours of cleanup work for a local remodeler and growing it into a practice that now serves businesses from New York City to Southern California. Tom handles business development; Sharon does the books; their son Alex rounds out the team with a math degree and a sharp eye for process improvement. Since Tom joined, they've more than doubled their clientele.

Tom shared how Wells Virtual Bookkeeping helps service-based businesses get financial clarity and their time back: from brand-new businesses they set up from scratch, to owners who've been white-knuckling it in spreadsheets, to established companies managing close to $30M in revenue. We covered what they do (bookkeeping, bank reconciliation, invoicing, accounts payable and receivable, payroll) and what they don't (taxes, though they have strong CPA relationships for that handoff). Tom also walked through a LinkedIn strategy pivot that quietly changed his business: he stopped targeting business owners directly and started building relationships with CPAs and fractional CFOs instead, and shifted from posting every day to spending that time commenting strategically on others' posts. The result? A post he thought was going nowhere hit 20,000 impressions.

In Q&A, Elaine Belson asked about the most common problem they find when onboarding new clients (hint: "are your books current?" means something very different to every business owner, and usually the honest answer is no, which is where the dental hygienist analogy comes in). Liz M. Lopez asked the succession question many prospects are probably thinking but won't say out loud. And Lori Vajda asked about Tom's LinkedIn strategy for reaching ideal clients, and his answer genuinely surprised her.

00:00 Episode Preview
 01:42 Member Spotlight Format
 03:10 Meet Tom Wells
 04:10 Tom's Role: Chief Connector
 04:20 42 Years in Healthcare: Tom's Background
 05:20 Sharon Wells and the Origin of Wells Virtual Bookkeeping
 06:30 The Decision to Go All-In
 07:00 LinkedIn, Referrals, and Growing a Virtual Client Base
 08:00 Son Alex Joins the Team
 08:40 What They Do (and Don't Do)
 09:10 QuickBooks Online and Sharon's Intuit Relationship
 10:30 AP/AR Explained
 11:10 Listening First: Tom on Leadership and Communication
 12:40 A Tribute to Tom's Dad
 13:00 Who Is a Good Fit?
 13:40 The Roofer Story: When Bookkeeping Becomes a Family Issue
 14:20 Larger Clients and How They Decide What to Take On
 15:00 The Niche Question (and Their Answer)
 15:40 Level 60: Age, Wisdom, and Business Priorities
 16:20 Expense Management and Tax Strategy
 17:10 Working with CPAs and Fractional CFOs
 17:50 Audience Q&A Setup
 18:00 Elaine Belson: What's the Most Common Problem You Find?
 19:00 The Dental Flossing Analogy
 19:30 Liz Lopez: Succession Plan and Longevity
 21:10 Level 60 Revisited
 21:40 Lori Vajda: How Do You Use LinkedIn to Reach Ideal Clients?
 22:20 The Pivot: Targeting CPAs and Referral Partners Instead of Business Owners
 24:00 Posting vs. Commenting: Tom's LinkedIn Strategy Shift
 25:50 The 20,000-Impression Post He Thought Sucked
 26:30 Reposting and What the LinkedIn Experts Are Actually Doing
 27:30 Brenda's LinkedIn Advice: Post Once a Week, Comment Strategically
 28:20 LLC vs. S Corp: Does It Matter?
 28:50 The "I Have a Friend" Story: When Bookkeeping Goes Sideways
 29:40 How to Work with Tom
 30:30 Final Thoughts: Five Kids, Six Grandkids, and Working from Hawaii

• Connect with Tom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwells-wvb/
• Visit Wells Virtual Bookkeeping: https://www.wellsvirtualbookkeeping.com/
• Shout out to Elaine Belson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainebelsonlcsw/ 
• Shout out to Liz M. Lopez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizmlopez/
• Shout out to Lori Vajda: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorivajda/ 

Support the show

**************************************
My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie. 

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller 
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast) 

This episode is a member spotlight interview from my Marketing with Meller membership and learning community.

Rose Madison Jenkins is a speaking and storytelling coach, transformational keynote speaker, and best-selling author who I was thrilled to spotlight here. She was referred into Marketing with Meller by longtime speaking community friend Liz M. Lopez, and it's easy to see why Liz raved about her. (Spoiler: Liz coined a phrase during this episode that I think you'll want to steal.)

Rose shared how she helps speakers, professionals, and entrepreneurs craft the stories that draw in their ideal audience and further their purpose. We focused on her Speak to Inspire Group Coaching Program (a nine-week virtual cohort): how she helps complete beginners get over their fear and onto a real stage, how she helps experienced speakers go deeper and test new material, and why she ends every round with a live Night of Inspiration, where each student gets five professionally recorded minutes on stage. 

In Q&A, Pam Lippitt asked about TEDx prep, Sam Jennings sparked a conversation about the neuroscience of stage fright versus excitement, and Rose shared her personal origin story rooted in military service, social work, and a childhood of being told children are to be seen and not heard.

00:00 Episode Preview
01:42 Member Spotlight Format
03:30 Meet Rose Madison Jenkins
04:10 The Speak to Inspire Group Coaching Program
05:50 Who It's For (Beginners and Veterans)
07:10 The Night of Inspiration and Five-Minute Stage Experience
09:00 The Five-Minute Formula: Story + Content Block
10:30 Value for Experienced Speakers
11:50 Professional Marketing Material as a Built-In Deliverable
13:10 Audience Q&A Setup
13:30 Pam Lippitt: TEDx Prep
15:40 Is This Program for Everyone? Cohort Makeup
16:20 Liz Lopez on "The Rose Effect"
19:30 Sam Jennings: How Do You Create a Safe Space?
21:00 Nervousness vs. Excitement (Same Neurons, Different Story)
23:40 Brenda's Toastmasters Funeral Home Story
24:40 Helping Fast Talkers: Pacing and the Pregnant Pause
26:10 Annette Richmond: Eulogies and Origin Stories
27:10 Liz's Final "Question" (a Birthday Surprise)
28:40 How to Work with Rose

• Connect with Rose on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-madison-jenkins/
• Book a 30-minute discovery call with Rose: https://calendly.com/roseinspires/30min
• Shout out to Liz M. Lopez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizmlopez/
• Shout out to Pam Lippitt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelalippitt/
• Shout out to Dr. Sam Jennings II: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsamjennings/

Support the show

**************************************
My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie. 

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller 
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast) 

I share why giving feedback to speakers matters, especially for self-employed hosts and presenters. 

I describe two experiences speaking on virtual events: 

• one free Zoom interview where I followed up for feedback, needed to nudge the host, and eventually received confirmation it went well; 
• and one paid LinkedIn training for a leadership program where the audience was unusually quiet and the host didn’t respond for weeks until I learned the group simply wasn’t receptive to LinkedIn that day. 

I explain why feedback is essential for improvement, meeting client expectations, and protecting reputation, encourage speakers to ask and follow up, and urge hosts to thank speakers and offer supportive, permission-based constructive feedback.

00:00 Welcome and Setup
00:21 Why Feedback Matters
00:59 Story One No Response
02:36 Story Two Quiet Audience
05:06 What Was Really Happening
06:30 How to Ask and Follow Up
07:25 Host Etiquette Tips
08:07 Closing and Connect

Support the show

**************************************
My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie. 

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller 
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast) 

This episode shares practical ways to raise money quickly when self-employment income fluctuates. 

• First, I recommend personally emailing former clients one-to-one to rebook the same service at their previous rate (while noting your current rate), using a single clear call to action and a limited-time window. 
• Second, I suggest finding cross-selling opportunities by inviting people who bought a low-cost standalone offer (like a masterclass) to join a larger program, potentially applying their prior payment toward the upgrade. 
• Third, I encourage re-engaging lost clients or paused prospects—especially those you had strong rapport with—to revisit memberships, courses, or proposals that previously stalled. 
• Fourth, I advise prompting monthly members to convert to an annual plan for savings and better cash flow, possibly adding bonuses to incentivize upgrades. Listeners are invited to send additional ideas via LinkedIn audio messages for future episodes.

00:00 Quick Cash Intro
01:30 Tip One Past Clients
02:43 Email Outreach Playbook
04:05 Tip Two Cross Selling
06:18 Tip Three Reengage
07:39 Tip Four Annual Upgrade
09:09 Bonus Incentives Merch
10:09 Listener Audio Messages
11:17 Wrap Up Thanks

FIND THIS HELPFUL? Share this episode with a self-employed friend!

Support the show

**************************************
My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie. 

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller 
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast) 

I introduced a “from the vault” LinkedIn Live episode of Social Media Pie featuring my 2020 conversation with Mic Adam about building a simple social selling routine that creates relationships and conversations. Mic, a Belgium-based B2B social media consultant with a long sales and marketing background, defined social selling as a salesperson’s approach for reaching prospects, adding value, and ultimately driving sales (distinct from social media marketing). 

He broke an effective routine into three daily priorities that could fit into about 15 minutes: grow your network (add people you meet and use personalized connection notes), keep your network warm (proactively message contacts and ask questions to spark replies), and stay visible by posting consistently—ideally once per day at a tested best time. 

We also discussed repackaging older posts, tips for students building networks, and the value of warm networks during lockdowns.

00:00 From the Vault Intro

01:18 Meet Mic in Belgium

03:19 Mic Background and Services

04:48 LinkedIn Rockstars Mindset

07:06 What Social Selling Means

10:06 15 Minute Routine Overview

11:49 Step One Grow Network

15:07 Step Two Keep Warm

21:10 Step Three Post Visibility

21:50 Posting Frequency Algorithm

23:49 Stop Overposting

24:14 Manual Posting Workflow

25:41 Weekly Content Template

26:14 Polls And Customer Questions

27:06 Lockdown And Networking ROI

28:49 Audience Q And Feed Tips

30:46 Repurpose Old Posts

32:06 Students LinkedIn Networking

33:29 Prioritize Warm Network

35:08 Connect And Find Mic

38:21 Final Wrap And Calls

Connect with Mic:

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

Watch original interview on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/live/nRC8RWNqITQ?feature=share

Support the show

**************************************
My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie. 

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller 
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast) 

I hosted a Marketing with Meller Member Spotlight interview with Liz M. Lopez, a coach, author, and speaker who has written two best-selling professional development books and has nearly 19 years of experience helping leaders, entrepreneurs, and individuals build success strategies. 

We focused on her book Permission to Dominate Your Success and the related coaching that addresses mindset, self-doubt, and self-imposed limitations through seven “permissions,” developed organically from talks and workshops. Liz shared how the work evolved into offerings including a 90-minute masterclass; The Success Reset, a newer masterclass called Growing Your Business Without Doing More, and a deeper group program called The Dominate Your Success 4-Week Accelerator™ planned for the Fall. 

We discussed who the work is for, who it isn’t for, and how to choose between masterclasses, coaching, and group support.

00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup

01:16 Spotlight Format and Perks

03:12 Meet Liz Lopez

05:00 Book and Coaching Focus

06:50 Origin Story and Permissions

10:21 Masterclasses and Offer Ladder

15:56 Who Its For and Not For

18:14 Audience Q and A

25:54 Next Steps and Links

27:59 Marketing With Meller Updates

30:13 Final Thanks and Wrap Up 

Book — Permission to Dominate Your Success: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DL2FPW8S

Schedule a Complimentary Conversation with Coach Liz: https://schedulesessionwithlizmlopez.as.me/

Upcoming Workshop — Grow Your Business Without Doing More: https://liz-lopez.mykajabi.com/support-growth-model

Connect with Liz on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizmlopez

Support the show

**************************************
My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie. 

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller 
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast) 

In this episode, I talk about a little-known LinkedIn tool called the LinkedIn Post Inspector, which refreshes the social share image and description LinkedIn pulls from a webpage when you share a link.

I explain that when you update a page’s thumbnail or metadata, LinkedIn often keeps showing an outdated preview unless you run the URL through this tool.

Over the weekend and again today, the Post Inspector wouldn’t work for me, and people in an Espresso+ community call confirmed the same issue across multiple countries.

I tried incognito and mobile with no success, even though Facebook showed the updated image. I attempted to report it through LinkedIn Help but only got an unhelpful chatbot, so I used my own contact-linkedin resource page and submitted a form, though I’m not optimistic LinkedIn will fix it.

https://www.linkedin.com/post-inspector/

LinkedIn Help Form: https://www.mellermarketing.com/contactlinkedin

00:00 What Post Inspector Does

00:49 Why It Matters for Links

01:07 Tool Suddenly Not Working

02:06 Troubleshooting Attempts

02:40 Is LinkedIn Disabling It

03:14 Help Center Chatbot Frustration

04:36 How to Contact LinkedIn

06:08 Updating My Resource Page

06:43 Submitting a Support Ticket

07:06 Follow the Money Theory

08:17 Wrap Up and Call to Action 

Support the show

**************************************
My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie. 

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller 
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast) 

This episode is a member spotlight interview from my Marketing with Meller membership and learning community.

I encourage you to embrace and "abundance mindset" and “coopetition” approach to collaborating with overlapping LinkedIn professionals like today's featured interview with Judi Hays. 

Judi explained how she helps seasoned executives—often laid off, aged out, or seeking more fulfillment—transition from corporate identities into their next chapter by becoming visible experts through clear positioning in high-trust B2B industries. 

We focused on her 90-Day Authority Intensive (12 weeks): Elevate (profile and visibility plus sharper positioning language), Expand (network growth and strategy), and Engage (content, messaging, and converting conversations into calls). In Q&A, she shared a supply-chain client example that started with reconnecting to 10 contacts and led to a seven-figure contract, discussed niche vs brand, credibility signals like accurate photos, and described her lifestyle-business goals and remote work experiences.

00:00 Episode Preview
01:42 Member Spotlight Format
03:49 Meet Judi Hays
05:20 How Brenda and Judi Connected
07:02 90 Day Authority Intensive
09:16 Elevate Your Presence
12:08 Expand Your Network
13:53 Engage for Trust
16:58 Accountability and ROI
18:58 Remote Lifestyle Business
20:47 Night Owl Banter
21:12 Audience Q&A Setup
22:58 Pepper and Rescue Talk
23:50 Case Study Big Win
26:58 Serving Seasoned Executives
30:06 Brand Versus Niche
33:16 Outdated Photos and Trust
36:20 How to Work Together

• Connect with Judi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judihays/
• Work with Judi — 90-Day Authority Intensive: https://judihays.com/90-day-authority/
• Visit Judi’s website: https://judihays.com
• Shout out to Terry Bean: linkedin.com/in/terrybean
• Shout out to Kevin D. Turner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/president/

Support the show

**************************************
My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie. 

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller 
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast) 

I published this episode (and an accompanying YouTube video) after noticing a strange LinkedIn company page glitch when editing a page post.

When I clicked the three dots on a recent company post and selected “Edit post,” the edit screen looked like it was coming from my personal profile (my photo showed at the top and it said “Posted to anyone”), even though I was editing a company page update.

After making a small change and saving, the post remained on the company page and did not appear as a duplicate post in my personal activity feed.

I wasn’t sure why it happened, but I suspected LinkedIn may be changing how company pages and page admin interactions work.

Watch it on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/geyvopBSYPo

Email me with any LinkedIn questions: [email protected]

00:00 Podcast Intro and Context
00:49 Spotting the Company Page Glitch
01:06 Editing Post Looks Like Profile
01:47 Checking for Duplicate Posts
02:15 Why LinkedIn Might Be Changing
02:55 Reassurance and Next Steps
03:11 Wrap Up and Call to Action

Support the show

**************************************
My name is Brenda Meller. I'm a LinkedIn coach, consultant, speaker, and author. My company is Meller Marketing and I help business professionals get a bigger slice of the LinkedIn pie. 

Visit mellermarketing.com

Let's connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brendameller 
(click MORE to invite me to connect and mention you listened to my podcast)