Modern Marketing Made Simple with Lori Ervin

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Vinnie Rose, the founder of Vinnie Rose Designs, to talk about what it really looks like to build a business from scratch after leaving a 25-year corporate career.

Vinnie shares how being packaged out of her role at Canadian Tire led her to explore something new, and how that eventually turned into a growing business centred around thoughtful, personalized gifting.

We talk about how her business has evolved over time, from starting with balloons to focusing on curated gift baskets, succulent planters, and seasonal designs. We also dive into how she has built her business through word of mouth, relationships, and a strong focus on customer experience.

If you’ve ever found yourself starting over or wondering how to turn something you enjoy into a business, this episode will leave you feeling encouraged, grounded, and inspired to keep going.

Key Takeaways:

→ Why starting before you feel ready matters
→ How word of mouth can still be your most powerful marketing tool
→ The role of community and collaboration in business growth
→ How to stand out through personalization and customer experience
→ Why consistency and belief in yourself matter more than perfection

Follow along and support Vinnie Rose Designs:
Instagram - www.instagram.com/vinnierosedesigns

If you are someone who loves thoughtful gifting, supporting small businesses, or creating meaningful moments for the people in your life, you are going to feel right at home in her world.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Natalie, the founder of Rinkside Mom, to talk about what it really looks like to build a brand rooted in community, connection, and real life.

Natalie shares how life at the rink inspired her to create something just for hockey moms, and how that idea quickly grew into a recognizable and fast-growing brand. What started as relatable content turned into a business built on shared experiences, viral moments, and a deep understanding of her audience.

We talk about the power of niching down, creating content that actually connects, and why building a community first will always outperform trying to sell.

If you’re building a brand, creating content, or trying to grow something online, this episode will show you what happens when you stop overthinking and start speaking directly to your people.

Key Takeaways:

Connect with Natalie:

Follow along and support Rinkside Mom:

If you are a hockey mom, or even just someone building a brand rooted in real life, you are going to feel right at home in her world.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Jaime, the founder of Common Moms, to talk about what it really looks like to build a community from the ground up while navigating real life, motherhood, and the everyday demands that come with it.

Jaime shares how a simple idea to bring moms together turned into something more, and how that has grown into a community that hosts in-person events for moms and their young children to connect, build friendships, and feel supported.

We talk about getting started without a perfect plan, the power of creating what you wish existed, and how she built Common Moms through connection, consistency, and showing up in real life. We also dive into the realities of building something alongside motherhood and what it takes to keep going when things feel overwhelming.

If you’ve ever felt the need for more connection in your day to day life, or you’re thinking about starting something of your own, this episode will leave you feeling encouraged, grounded, and inspired to take that next step.

Key Takeaways:

Connect with Jaime:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thecommonmoms 
Website: https://www.thecommonmoms.com/ 

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Fharas, the founder and maker behind A1 Rituals, to talk about what it really looks like to build a product-based business from the ground up while navigating real life, motherhood, and a busy blended family.

Fharas shares how starting a candle course during a difficult pregnancy quickly turned into something more, and how that has evolved into a growing business known for its luxury, nostalgic, and deeply personal candle experiences.

We talk about getting started without a perfect plan, the power of giving before selling, and how she built A1 Rituals through connection, storytelling, and in-person markets. We also dive into the realities of running a business behind the scenes and what it takes to keep going when things feel overwhelming.

If you’ve ever thought about starting a business or you’re currently building one while balancing real life, this episode will leave you feeling encouraged, grounded, and inspired to keep going.

Key Takeaways:

Connect with Fharas:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/a1ritualsbyfharas
Website: www.a1rituals.com 
YouTube: A1 Rituals Candles

In this episode, I’m joined by UGC creator expert Tina Osburn. Over the past year and a half, Tina has been creating user-generated content for brands and getting paid to do it - and she’s now helping others learn how to do the same.

We dive into what UGC (user-generated content) actually is, why brands are looking for everyday creators, and how you can start creating content that companies will pay for - even if you don’t have a huge following.

Tina also shares how she got started, what brands are looking for right now, and the simple steps you can take if you’re interested in turning content creation into another stream of income.

If you’ve been curious about UGC or wondering how people are getting paid to create content online, this conversation will give you a great place to start.

You can find Tina on Instagram and TikTok at @itstinaosburn.

Listen, I get it ...a lot of people think that email is dead.

What if I told you that (and this is especially true for a product based business) between 40 and 50% of your sales should be coming via email?

What if I told you that I have heard an email list be referred to as an ATM machine?

Let's talk about it.

Why I believe in email marketing.

Why this is one of the main services I provide for clients.

Why this drives more sales than anything else inside my business.

Have you gotten used to the posts that tell you to comment a specific word, and they will automatically send you a message with something?

Do you kinda even love the simplicity of it?

How about when you follow someone new, and you automatically get a message in your DM's from them, welcoming you to their account?

This is the conversation we are going to have today. Should you, or should you not set up that automation?! If you're going to do it ...how do you do it properly?!

I've got thoughts.

This is our favourite kind of conversation, isn't it?

How to drive more sales inside your business.

Sales strategies that you can try inside your business.

How to get even more sales in your business.

....well, what if I told you that one of the reasons you aren't maximizing your sales, doesn't have anything to even do with sales strategies?!

I think this episode will open a lot of eyes.

And if you want to chat about this more, let me know.

You guys, I am so happy to be back in this space with you! And I have big plans for this Podcast.

Not only are we going to shift the focus - to really diving into topics relevant for both social sellers and small businesses ...but I am also going to be bringing in small business owners, to share with you what is working in their businesses.

My goal is that you take something actionable from each episode - and you use it to grow your business. And my hope is that you'll love it so much, that you'll go out and share each episode with your world.

So, sit back and relax ...let's kick things off by talking about setting each month up for success.