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Most of the businesses I work with are service-based solopreneurs. But when Maddison Violet of Ve Oh Lay Acres reached out to be podcast guest, it was an easy “yes” for me.

For one thing, I like drinking wine and talking with the owner of a winery was irresistible. The other reason I wanted to talk with Maddison is the success story she shares. In particular, the way in which she and her husband have fostered strong relationships with their local community and how those connections have helped their business thrive.

The only bummer here is that Ve Oh Lay wines aren’t yet for sale outside of Canada. But Maddison assures me visitors are warmly welcomed should you decide to take a trip to their vineyards in British Columbia. 

Sounds like a great trip to me!

Learn more about Ve Oh Lay Acres Winery & Farm here: www.veohlayacres.com/

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My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s very important to me that I reach as many people as possible.

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Have you ever had this experience?

You have a great program idea. People have even said "that's a great idea!"

You write a well-crafted offer. It's concise, clear, and has an easy call to action for people to take.

And yet, nada, bupkis. That awful void in which no one (or very few people) show any interest.

What did you do wrong?

Actually, it's not what you did. It's what you did NOT do. You didn't ask your prospective customers what they really want in a structured, objective way.

Here's how I'm doing things differently so my new offer has a better chance of success.

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My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s very important to me that I reach as many people as possible.

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Videos are a very powerful way to market your business, establish your expertise, and demonstrate how you help clients.

And if you’ve done any videos you also know that videos have lots of moving pieces. So many elements have to work in order to have a video your audience finds engaging!

Erika Jones of Intelligent Octopus knows all about taking messy raw video files and turning them into polished, highly engaging pieces for her clients. If you’ve been thinking about making a more significant commitment to creating videos, Erika is a great person to talk to.

Connect with Erika on LinkedIn.

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My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s very important to me that I reach as many people as possible.

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Something a lot of heart-led service providers complain about is how complex marketing is. 

They don't enjoy marketing their business to begin with (it's not why they created a business) and they are told they have to absolutely everything. They need a website, and content, and an active social media profile, and videos and podcasts.

Whew! 

Marketing gets a lot easier when you focus on outcomes and you know which outcomes are the most important for your type of business. And that's what this podcast will cover.

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My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s very important to me that I reach as many people as possible.

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There was a time, not so long ago, when I believed with all my heart that the key to being a successful business owner was about acquiring more skills and information.

It’s a seductive promise: learn more and you’ll have more money and success. It’s especially seductive if your success is based primarily on your reputation as an expert or your mastery of a particular skill.

I’ve found, however, that after a point, what you know is far less important than who you are.

Here's what I learned when a client engagement did NOT go well.

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My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s very important to me that I reach as many people as possible.

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If you create results-focused content it can feel pretty daunting. Not only are you trying to get information across, you are also hoping to engage your readers, reinforce your brand, and inspire action.

In my our conversation with author and entrepreneur Judi Harrington, Judi shares lots of practical advice for turning dry, technical content into persuasive writing that your audience will enjoy reading and will act on.

Learn more about Judi Harrington on her Substack, Judi 411.

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My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s very important to me that I reach as many people as possible.

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If you had told me my social awkwardness was a superpower when I was a teenager, no way would I have believed you.

But ...

The evidence says, yes, actually, people value my awkwardness. Why?

Because my devoted fans say that they like how authentic I am. They feel they have permission to be their messy human selves with me and that's such a relief in business situations!

Here's what I learned about appreciating what I consider one of my biggest liabilities.

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My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s very important to me that I reach as many people as possible.

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I’m a big fan of Deidre Woollard, Substack author of The Money Library. 

It’s hard to put Deidre’s work in a single category. What I enjoy most about her work is the way in which she navigates the very human tension between capitalism and what it means to be a thinking, caring human being.

As the owner of a small business I am constantly navigating the uncomfortable middle ground between my profit imperative and my desire to make a positive difference. This conversation will give you some good questions to consider when it comes to your own middle ground.

Hang out with Deidre at The Money Library on Substack.

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My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s very important to me that I reach as many people as possible.

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I don't know about you but I experienced 2025 as an exhausting year. Clients and community members told me they were feeling a lot of stress and economic uncertainty. As a result they were being more cautious about saying "yes" to the offers they received unless there was a clear benefit.

When I get an email offer or read an offer online and the offer is filled with graphics and complicated sections, my brain just turns off. I barely get past the first paragraph and I'm gone.

It's sad that the offer might be exactly what I've been looking for. Doesn't matter if I don't understand the offer and don't read it through.

So what DOES work?

In this week's podcast I'll share with you my favorite way to create an offer. I'll explain the six step process and share how I used this process to help a client create their offer.

Read the complete offer here.

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My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s very important to me that I reach as many people as possible.

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In this podcast conversation, coach and author, Barb Hubbard shares her journey writing and publishing her book, Quit Chasing Squirrels. 

Barb’s book is quite successful. AND rather than jumping into creating offers and non-stop promotion, Barb learned she needed rest and self-care before she was ready to use her book for growing her coaching practice.

Barb's website: https://barbhubbardcoaching.com/

If you find the Marketing Root Work podcast valuable, please become a subscriber! 

My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s very important to me that I reach as many people as possible.