In the EllaMents with Alishia Egenhoff

School's out. Your kids are home. Your clients still need you.

So how do you actually get work done this summer without feeling like you're failing at both business and motherhood?

I'm not going to give you the Instagram version of working from home with kids. I'm giving you the real, messy version - what actually works in my house with my 11 and 13-year-old.

In this episode, I'm walking you through my actual summer routine, the boundaries I set (and why I don't apologize for needing quiet to think), what I batch before summer even starts so I don't feel guilty taking afternoons off, and the big mistake I made last year that I'm not repeating this summer.

I'm also talking about how I handle client expectations without making a big announcement, why I'm not taking on new projects this summer, and the mindset shift that makes all of this actually manageable.

Here's what I'm realizing... I can't be the perfect business owner AND the perfect mom. Something has to give. And my business doesn't fall apart because I take afternoons off. But these summer days with my kids? I don't get those back.

If you're heading into summer feeling that low-level panic of "how am I going to get anything done," this episode is for you!

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list.

I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation.

You can join the list here.

Have a story to share? If you've been thinking about being a guest on In the EllaMents, I'd love to hear from you. Submit your story here.

You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments, where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation.

Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

AI is everywhere. And honestly? It's getting hard to ignore.

Meta wants you to use Advantage+. Google's pushing Performance Max. ChatGPT is practically writing everyone's social captions at this point.

And look, I use AI too. But here's what's bothering me: everyone's being told to just hand everything over to automation. Trust it. Let AI handle it.

But nobody's asking the obvious question - should you?

The platforms have goals. Your business has goals. And those two things? They're not always the same.

In this episode, I'm sharing the three questions I ask before I let AI touch anything in my marketing, whether that's ads, content, or anything else. I'm also talking about why most business owners aren't actually ready for the AI automation they're being sold, and what happens when you hand over control too soon.

If you've ever wondered whether you should be using more AI in your business, or less, this episode is going to help you figure out where that line is for you.

AI isn't the enemy. It's also not the savior everyone's making it out to be. It's a tool. And like any tool, you need to know when to use it and when to keep control.

Resources mentioned: Daniel Murray's Marketing Millennials Newsletter for the AI guardrails framework.

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list.

I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation.

You can join the list here.

Have a story to share? If you've been thinking about being a guest on In the EllaMents, I'd love to hear from you. Submit your story here.

You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments, where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation.

Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

Ever wonder how other moms actually fit business into their lives? Like, the real version with toddler meltdowns, school pickups, and zero time to meal plan?

Today I'm talking with Alysha Sanford, a brand photographer who's building her business with a toddler at home, while I'm navigating the tween and teen years. We basically have the same name, we both live in Oregon, and we both work in marketing, but our days look completely different.

We're pulling back the curtain on what it actually looks like to build a business in different seasons of motherhood. We get into our real schedules, the tools we use to stay sane, what productivity advice is complete BS, and how we're both making it work without sacrificing time with our families. This conversation is practical, honest, and full of systems you can steal. 

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Alysha Sanford Photo & Marketing for brand photography and to join the waitlist for her marketing course, Metricool for social media scheduling and reporting, Capture the Chaos Planner that we both use to stay organized, and FloDesk for email marketing.

Metricool for social media scheduling and reporting, Capture the Chaos Planner that we both use to stay organized, and FloDesk for email marketing.

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list.

I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation.

You can join the list here.

Have a story to share? If you've been thinking about being a guest on In the EllaMents, I'd love to hear from you. Submit your story here.

You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments, where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation.

Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

Do I really need to run ads? Can't I just grow organically?

If you've asked yourself these questions, I need to tell you something: you're asking the wrong question.

Because here's what I've learned after years of running ads for clients and building my own business, it's not about choosing between organic or paid. It's about understanding what each one actually does and when your business is ready for both.

Maybe you've been posting consistently on social media for months, and your growth feels painfully slow. Or maybe you're spending money on ads but not seeing the return you expected. Either way, something's missing.

In this episode, I'm diving into what's really happening with organic marketing right now, why the strategies that worked 10 years ago don't work anymore, and how to know if you're actually ready to invest in paid advertising (spoiler: it's not just about having a budget).

I'm also sharing a client story that might surprise you about what happened when we added paid marketing to a business that was only relying on word of mouth.

If you've been confused about whether ads are right for your business or frustrated that your organic efforts aren't moving the needle, this episode is going to give you clarity on what you actually need right now.

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list.

I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation.

You can join the list here.

Have a story to share? If you've been thinking about being a guest on In the EllaMents, I'd love to hear from you. Submit your story here.

You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments, where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation.

Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

Sometimes the best business decisions come from the hardest moments.

Sierra, founder of Caravan Content, was fully booked, working seven days a week, and completely burnt out. On paper, her business looked successful. But something wasn't right.

In this episode, Sierra walks us through her complete business rebrand—from the moment that sparked the change to the practical steps she took to rebuild everything. She's sharing what she learned about pricing, how she chose a new business name, and why scrapping her entire service menu was the best move she made.

Whether you're wondering if it's time to pivot your own business or you're curious what a rebrand actually looks like behind the scenes, Sierra's story offers real lessons about knowing when to change and how to do it without losing everything you've built.

Resources mentioned:

• Caravan Content Website caravan-content.com & Social @caravan.content
• Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list.

I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation.

You can join the list here.

Have a story to share? If you've been thinking about being a guest on In the EllaMents, I'd love to hear from you. Submit your story here.

You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments, where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation.

Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

If you're feeling stuck on the hamster wheel, exhausted but afraid to stop, or convinced that everything will fall apart if you take your foot off the gas—this episode is for you.

I'm sharing my own messy journey with burnout as a work-from-home mom and business owner. From working through our family vacation in Hawaii to that camping trip where I had no cell service and was forced to step away, I'm getting real about what burnout actually looks like and why taking breaks might be the most strategic thing you can do for your business.

Here's what I've learned: rest isn't just about recovery. It's about opening your mind to new possibilities. When you're in the thick of it every single day, you lose perspective. But when you step away, even for just a few days, that's when clarity comes.

In this episode, I'm challenging you to block off time for yourself, notice the stories you're telling yourself about why you can't rest, and give yourself permission to step away without guilt.

This episode is for small business owners, entrepreneurs, work-from-home moms and dads, solopreneurs, and anyone who's trading one kind of stress for another. If you started your business for freedom and flexibility but feel like you're trapped instead, this conversation is for you.

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list.

I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation.

You can join the list here.

Have a story to share? If you've been thinking about being a guest on In the EllaMents, I'd love to hear from you. Submit your story here.

You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments, where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation.

Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

Can we talk about something that might not sound exciting but honestly affects almost everything in your business? Your numbers.

If you're making good money but have no idea where it's going, or if you're constantly guessing whether you can afford to invest, hire help, or run ads—this episode is for you.

I'm sharing the exact cash management system I implemented from day one that's kept my business stable and sustainable: Profit First. And before you think "ugh, another finance thing," stay with me. This isn't about being obsessed with spreadsheets or tracking everything perfectly. It's about creating a simple structure so you can actually breathe.

I'll walk you through how I set up my Profit First system with just 4 bank accounts, the realistic percentages I started with for owner pay and taxes, and why marketing feels so risky when your finances are messy (and how to fix it). I'll also share one powerful question I ask myself monthly to stay aligned with my goals.

I'll be real with you—I'm not a financial advisor or accountant. This is just my lived experience using a framework that's worked really well for me as a mom entrepreneur building a business with limited time, energy, and capacity.

If tax season is creeping up on you and you're feeling that familiar tension, or if you want to make business and marketing decisions with actual confidence instead of crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, this conversation is for you.

Resources mentioned:

• Profit First by Mike Michalowicz 

This episode's for the small business owners, online entrepreneurs, service providers, coaches, and mom business owners who are ready to stop guessing and start building a business that actually supports their life.

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list.

I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation.

You can join the list here.

Have a story to share? If you've been thinking about being a guest on In the EllaMents, I'd love to hear from you. Submit your story here.

You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments, where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation.

Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

Setting boundaries in business sounds simple until guilt, fear, and old habits show up.

In this episode of In the EllaMents, I’m talking about why boundaries feel so personal for so many women in business, especially those of us who care deeply, try hard, and feel the pressure to be everything to everyone.

This isn’t a conversation about productivity hacks or rigid rules. It’s about understanding why setting boundaries can feel uncomfortable in the first place, how that conditioning shows up in our availability, pricing, and time, and what it really means to protect your peace as you grow.

I share how my own relationship with boundaries was shaped long before I started my business, through corporate work, motherhood, and moments where work pulled me away from the life I was trying to build. We talk about time boundaries, mental space, pricing as a form of self-respect, and why being constantly available isn’t the same as being committed.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for not responding fast enough…
 worried that setting a boundary would make you seem difficult…
 or struggled to protect your energy without second-guessing yourself…

This episode is for you.

We’ll also walk through real, practical examples of what boundaries can look like in your life and business, from response windows and weekends, to scope of work, pricing, and internal permission to slow down.

Because boundaries aren’t walls.
They’re guardrails, and they exist to protect the business and life you’re building.

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list.

I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation.

You can join the list here.

Have a story to share? If you've been thinking about being a guest on In the EllaMents, I'd love to hear from you. Submit your story here.

You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments, where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation.

Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

How do you actually know when you’re too busy to take on more client work?

This episode came directly from a question someone asked me recently, and honestly, it caught me off guard. Not because I don’t think about capacity, but because I’m still learning how to answer that question in a way that aligns with the business I’m building.

In this episode, I’m sharing what “too busy” looks like for me, not as burnout or exhaustion at first, but in quieter ways. Like when my own content gets pushed aside, family time starts shrinking, or I find myself working nights and weekends just trying to keep up.

We talk about:

• The early signs that your capacity is stretched (before burnout hits)
• Why being fully booked doesn’t always mean you’re doing aligned work
• The pressure to say yes, even when something doesn’t fit your long-term vision
• How I’m learning to make decisions based on alignment, not guilt
• The mindset shift that’s helping me rethink growth and capacity

I don’t have a perfect formula or magic number, and that’s the point. This is an honest conversation for business owners navigating growth, opportunity, and the fear that comes with saying no.

If you’re feeling stretched, unsure when to say yes, or wondering how to grow without losing the parts of your business you love, this episode is for you.

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list.

I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation.

You can join the list here.

Have a story to share? If you've been thinking about being a guest on In the EllaMents, I'd love to hear from you. Submit your story here.

You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments, where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation.

Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.

As we move into 2026, I’ve been feeling reflective — not in a “new year, new strategy” way, but in a quieter, more intentional one.

In this episode, I’m sharing my honest marketing predictions for 2026 — not from a place of having everything figured out, but from lived experience. From watching trends shift, supporting business owners behind the scenes, and navigating these changes inside my own business, too.

We talk about what I believe will matter most moving forward: trust, simplicity, long-form content, human storytelling, and building businesses that support real life instead of competing with it. These aren’t rules or things you need to rush to implement. Think of them as guideposts — observations you can take or leave depending on the season you’re in.

If 2025 felt messy, overwhelming, or exhausting — and you’re craving a calmer, steadier way forward — this conversation is for you.

Support the show

Enjoying the podcast? Follow In the EllaMents on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss anything. New episodes drop every other Monday!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to stay connected beyond the podcast, I’d love to have you on my email list.

I send 2–4 emails a month where I share honest thoughts on marketing, motherhood, and building a business that actually fits your real life — encouragement, clarity, and things I don’t always share on social media. I also share when new podcast episodes are live, so you never miss a conversation.

You can join the list here.

Have a story to share? If you've been thinking about being a guest on In the EllaMents, I'd love to hear from you. Submit your story here.

You can also find me on Instagram at @socialellaments, where I share behind-the-scenes moments and continue the conversation.

Thanks for being here — I’m really glad you’re listening.