Good Ideas + Bad Decisions

In this episode of 'Good Ideas and Bad Decisions,' your hosts Kat and Ellen dive into the unpredictable journey of business ownership, mental health, and the messy middle of entrepreneurship. They welcome Jessica Murray, founder of Empower, who specializes in helping emerging business owners streamline operations and remove bottlenecks. Jessica shares insights into her work with startups, discussing her transition from Wall Street to tech startups and the challenges of being an operations expert. There’s candid talk about navigating client relationships, the importance of trusting your intuition, and practical tips for managing time and resources effectively. All this, sprinkled with dog stories, closet analogies, and the eternal struggle of finding the right project management tools. Grab your coffee or cocktail, sit back, and let’s figure out this business thing together!

Jessica Murray is the Founder of Empower, which partners with small business owners and early-stage startup founders to streamline operations and boost efficiency. Her work concentrates on the delicate balance that founders and owners must find between driving revenue growth and building an operationally sound, profitable business by concentrating on sustainable growth through people, processes and a customer-centric mindset. Fill out the contact form on her website to get started!

Kat is the Owner + Operator of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

00:00 Welcome to Good Ideas and Bad Decisions

00:43 Weekly Catch-Up

01:22 Introducing Jessica Murray of Empower

02:35 Diving into Operations

05:51 The Value of an Outside Perspective

07:25 Challenges in Business Operations

07:56 The Closet Analogy

16:04 Transitioning to Entrepreneurship

25:21 Balancing Expectations and Communication

26:30 Navigating Scope Creep and Transparency

28:55 Building Trust and Relationships

32:58 Time Tracking and Retainer Management

35:11 Choosing the Right Tools for Your Business

40:07 Final Thoughts and Words of Wisdom

In this episode of 'Coffee Chats with Ellen and Kat,' hosts Ellen and Kat delve into the delightful mix of personal anecdotes and business musings. The chat kicks off with Ellen sharing her enchanting custom necklace story, crafted by a long-time friend and jeweler in Jersey City. Kat and Ellen then trade tales of their weekend escapades: Ellen’s family mountain trip and farmer's market outing, and Kat's busy work weekend culminating in a spontaneous visit to a local winery garden. The conversation takes a thoughtful turn as they tackle the important question: 'At what point do you consider your business a business?' With personal experiences and practical advice, they highlight the value of recognizing and celebrating your entrepreneurial journey. Don't miss out on this engaging blend of humor, warmth, and insightful business wisdom!

Don't forget to submit your business questions for future episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Question Link⁠⁠⁠⁠

Kat is the Owner + Operator of  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

In this episode of 'Good Ideas, Bad Decisions,' hosts Ellen and Kat are joined by special guest Ari Rodriguez, co-founder of Seekr Wellness. We dive into the complexities of running a business, mental health, and the importance of community. Ari shares her journey from being a dietician to co-founding Seekr Wellness, a tech business aimed at supporting professional women through life transitions. The discussion includes the significance of questioning one's path, the stages of transition, and the critical role of community in navigating life's changes. Ari also provides insights into her co-founding experience and the deliberate, sustainable growth strategy for Seekr Wellness. Give it a listen for your reminder to engage in rituals over routines and to listen to your body! 

Ari Rodriguez is the co-founder of  Seekr Wellness and is an award-winning entrepreneur in Women’s Mental Health Innovation. She is dedicated to guiding women through lifes transitions to reclaim their truth, worth, and fulfillment, beyond their body or titles. As a Mental Health Registered Dietitian, Ariana holds a Master of Science in Nutrition from McGill University and a Master of Arts in Psychology in Education from Columbia University’s Spirit Mind Body Institute, where she specialized in Depth and Jungian Psychology.

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Kat is the Owner + Operator of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

00:00 Welcome to Good Ideas, Bad Decisions 

01:13 Meet Our Guest: Ari Rodriguez 

02:03 Ari's Journey: From Dietician to Wellness Entrepreneur 

03:46 Navigating Life Transitions and Self-Worth 

05:03 Supporting High Achieving Women 

05:36 The Great Resignation and Existential Crises 

07:14 The Importance of Flexible Rituals 

09:22 Generational Differences in Career and Life Choices 

15:37 The Power of Community and Identity Shifts 

26:42 The Importance of Community Support 

28:04 Navigating Life Transitions 

30:11 Building and Maintaining Community 

35:55 Creating Supportive Spaces 

39:18 Introducing Seekr Wellness 

39:47 Seekr Wellness Programs and App 

43:52 Co-Founding and Business Insights 

50:41 Final Thoughts and Words of Wisdom

Welcome to Coffee Chats with Ellen and Kat, a lively discussion where the hosts share the ups and downs of their weekends. Ellen talks about her surprise picnic in Central Park, complete with a delightful catered meal and unexpected roadblocks in the form of Global Citizen Fest. Kat shares about her serene Sunday filled with reading and peaceful ambient sounds. Then, they dive into the business question of the week: ideas for personalized client holiday gifts. Expect plenty of laughter, a dose of reality, and some useful tips sprinkled in along the way. Tune in and join the conversation!

Don't forget to submit your business questions for future episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Question Link⁠⁠⁠

Kat is the Owner + Operator of  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

Hey there, and welcome back to another episode of 'Good Ideas and Bad Decisions'! This week, Kat and Ellen dive into the messy middle of entrepreneurship with special guest Lindsay Ruiz, founder of Human as Usual. Join us as Lindsay discusses the chaos of scaling a business, the importance of maintaining human-centric values, and how she’s translating her 20-year career in organizational transformation into a groundbreaking new venture. From battling founder fears to envisioning a company that stands the test of time, Lindsay offers valuable insights and relatable anecdotes that any entrepreneur can benefit from. Plus, get a sneak peek into Lindsay’s upcoming book, which promises to be a must-read for anyone navigating the ups and downs of starting a business. Grab your favorite beverage and tune in for an episode that's as enlightening as it is entertaining!

Dr. Lindsay Ruiz is the Founder of Human as Usual, a firm that works with founders, VCs, and investors looking to scale up with integrity, humanity, and leave a significant impression on the world. She is passionate about partnering with hyper-growth companies that are determined to break the cycle of failure and risk associated with premature or reactive scaling.

Kat is the Owner + Operator of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

00:00 Welcome to Good Ideas and Bad Decisions

00:55 Introducing Our Special Guest: Lindsay Ruiz

02:40 Lindsay's Journey and Human as Usual

04:37 Scaling and Transformation Insights

08:15 Challenges and Philosophies in Business Growth

16:33 Defining and Operationalizing Company Values

26:22 Designing Adaptive Challenges

29:03 Navigating Founder Resistance

34:27 The Emotional Journey of Founders

37:31 Writing a Book on Founding

46:42 Final Thoughts and Words of Wisdom

In this mini-episode of 'Coffee Chats with Ellen and Kat,' the hosts discuss the daily challenges of their businesses, sleep woes, parenting, and pet care issues. Then, they dive into the main topic: knowing when to outsource or ask for help in your business. Ellen and Kat talk about the emotional, financial, and logistical aspects of hiring help, whether it's an accountant, marketing assistant, or project contractor. With personal anecdotes and candid insights, this episode offers relatable content for fellow business owners struggling to balance it all.

Don't forget to submit your business questions for future episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Question Link⁠⁠

Kat is the Owner + Operator of  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

Welcome back to another episode of 'Good Ideas, Bad Decisions.' This episode is hosted solely by Kat, as Ellen takes a break for some family time. Kat is joined by Morgan Montgomery-Rice, the founder of Bloom Bridge Advisors, who shares her journey through the HR and startup space. They discuss the messy middle of running a business, entrepreneurship, mental health, and the patterns that hold us back. Morgan talks about her experiences in HR, the importance of community, and how personal and professional challenges have shaped her journey. Tune in for an enlightening conversation filled with insights and humor!

Morgan is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bloom Bridge Advisors⁠ a Fractional HR & Recruiting Partner for Ecommerce Start-Ups. She believes a business is only as remarkable as its people. Her mission is to help growing organizations unlock the full potential of their team by providing expert, personalized HR solutions that drive business results and create workplaces where employees are engaged, valued, and empowered to thrive. ⁠Book a free consultation⁠ to get started. 

Kat is the Owner + Operator of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:37 Kat Hosts Solo with Morgan
01:49 Morgan's Background and Journey
04:37 Weekend Recap and Personal Stories
09:46 Starting Bloom Bridge Advisors
12:42 Entrepreneurial Challenges and Mindset
24:22 Diversifying Your Work and Networking
25:22 The Importance of Community
27:13 Values and Work in Fractional HR
27:46 Challenges and Rewards in HR
34:03 Falling into HR and Loving Puzzles
39:55 The Gray Area in Business Advice
44:04 Parting Words of Wisdom

In this mini episode of 'Coffee Chats with Ellen and Kat,' the hosts chat about Kat's new office space and the minor anxieties of setting up a new home. Ellen talks about the challenges of cleaning air conditioning ducts and the state of their home appliances. They delve into the ongoing process of moving, unpacking art, and the realities of suburban life with multiple refrigerators. Our business question this week delves into the complexities of small business accounting and tax prep. Tune in for relatable stories, practical advice, and a few laughs along the way!

Don't forget to submit your business questions for future episodes!

⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Question Link⁠

Kat is the Owner + Operator of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

In this episode of 'Good Ideas and Bad Decisions,' hosts Kat and Ellen are joined by Angie Enger, a sex and self-intimacy coach who shares her unique journey to becoming a coach and the importance of reclaiming pleasure in one's life. Angie dives deep into topics of responsive desire, the significance of individual self-intimacy, and practical tips for couples struggling with connection. Kat and Ellen also discuss the lack of cyclical care for women, the power of small pleasures, and creating intentional moments of connection. This insightful conversation is packed with valuable insights and practical advice for anyone looking to improve their intimate relationships and overall well-being.

Angie Enger is a Sex and Self Intimacy Coach⁠ - She helps women who spend all their time caring for others reconnect with their own pleasure by creating an environment to finally focus on their needs, instead of everyone else’s. Start your work with Angie by completing the form on her website, finding her on  IG or connecting on TikTok.  Join the waitlist for "Welcoming Pleasure" here: http://bit.ly/4mQBdwA 

The books mentioned in this episode are:

Come As You Are (Amazon) (Bookshop.org)

Come Together (Amazon) (Bookshop.org)

Vagina (Amazon) (Bookshop.org)

Kat is the Owner + Operator of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. Join The kat&co Download!

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth.

00:00 Welcome to Good Ideas and Bad Decisions 

01:14 Meet Our Guest: Angie, the Sex and Intimacy Coach 

02:27 Angie's Journey: From Counseling to Coaching 

04:37 Starting a Business and Overcoming Challenges 

06:35 The Importance of Self-Intimacy 

13:17 Navigating Relationships and Communication 

24:21 Angie's Coaching Process and Client Engagement 

28:36 Introduction to the Pleasure List 

28:56 Simple Pleasures in Everyday Life 

29:58 Creating Playful and Romantic Moments 

31:14 Yearly Themes and Romanticizing Life 

32:40 Connection and Building Relationships 

33:26 Upcoming Workshops and Certifications 

35:48 Understanding Types of Desire 

36:06 Tips for Couples with Responsive Desire 

38:10 The Importance of Willingness and Foreplay 

39:46 Sexual Values and Connection 

43:08 Final Thoughts and Words of Wisdom

In this episode of 'Coffee Chats with Ellen and Kat,' the hosts dive into the relatable chaos and quirks of everyday life. Ellen shares the morning mishap of forgetting her kid's sleep mat for camp, while Kat recounts the hectic packing process for an upcoming move. They then segue into travel plans, with Ellen detailing an upcoming massive family trip and Kat preparing for a Midwest adventure. The hosts also tackle an important question about how new small businesses can engage their local communities, offering practical tips such as networking, joining the Chamber of Commerce, and leveraging co-working spaces.

Submit your business questions at the link below for us to tackle on a future episode!

⁠⁠⁠Business Question Link⁠