Alright, buckle up, because in this episode of Pretty Funny Business, Lauren and Sydney bring on a very special guest, Juanita Woods, their legendary bookkeeper. Yep, the woman who keeps their financial chaos in check! Juanita spills the tea on how she went from a stable government job to running the show behind the scenes at PFB HQ.

The convo kicks off with Juanita’s early love for numbers (yes, some people actually enjoy math), her side hustle adventures, and how she became an irreplaceable part of the team. From there, they dive into some real talk about the struggles women face in business especially when it comes to the wild world of MLMs and why knowing your worth is non-negotiable.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a PFB episode without a deep dive into money talk. The trio breaks down why cash flow is everything, how automation can be both a blessing and a curse in bookkeeping, and the financial must dos every small business owner needs to survive. Spoiler: if you don’t know where your money’s going, you’re in trouble.

And because we love a good laugh, they throw in a fun Q&A with Juanita, where she dishes out her best tips on expense categorization (yes, it can be fun) and managing inventory like a pro. They also get real about client relationships, the power of setting boundaries, and why entrepreneurs need to stop trying to do everything themselves hire the dang specialists!

The episode wraps up with some heart-to-hearts on personal growth, self-worth, and why having a solid community is a game-changer in business. It’s equal parts educational, hilarious, and very PFB. Don’t miss it!

OUR FIRST IRL PODCAST!!!

Count down from 12 with us as we share our FAVORITE PICKS of 2024!

Holiday cheer and a whole lot of laughs! Join us as we navigate the highs and lows of creating a podcast live, all while juggling our personal and business lives. We share everything from Diet Coke anecdotes to our latest self-care rituals, like keeping up with perfect acrylic nails.

The convo takes a turn as we dive into the yolo strategy of implementing Salesforce for EMMIE because hey, who said you can’t balance the holiday fun with a little tech talk? Even though it’s not all business, we get real about the importance of our team’s fractional support and how it’s been life saving in keeping things running smoothly.

We also take a deep dive into our latest fashion addiction: Nuuly subscriptions. Whether it’s a risky new outfit or something we can only wear once (because we all know how that goes), we spill the tea on our favorite fashion finds (not literally). And, of course, we share our excitement for the future of Pretty Funny Business because there’s so much more to come.

So grab your favorite holiday drink, sit back, and tune in for this festive episode full of laughs, insights, and all the feels!

PS Here is Lauren’s Nuuly link, you’ll get $30 off! AND HERE’S SYDNEY’S! PICK YOUR FAVORITE!!!

In this episode of Pretty Funny Business, we’re chatting with Phil Gamache, the genius behind the Humans of Martech podcast. Phil takes us on a journey through his world of marketing automation, the wild ride of podcasting, and even the creative chaos of AI-generated content.

We dive into what it’s like to turn a passion project into a full-time gig, the ups and downs of small business life, and how to keep your industry connections alive while chasing big dreams. Plus, Phil gets real about balancing work, family life, and parenting-cue the toys! (Yes, we’re talking Barbies, Hot Wheels, and even the Yoto player. Get your kid’s Santa lists ready!)

And let’s not forget his aspirations to write a sci-fi novel (because who doesn’t want to escape reality sometimes?) and how owning your own domain name is basically adulting 101. This one’s packed with laughs, insights, and those “yes, same” moments about work-life balance, parenting wins, and the magic of community.

Grab your coffee (or wine-we don’t judge) and tune in for a mix of real talk, relatable moments, and a few unexpected giggles. You’re going to love this one, almost as much as Phil loved the self portrait that Lauren made for him:

In this episode, Pretty Funny Business gets a bit of a glow-up with marketing ops powerhouse Helen Abramova, Director of Marketing Technology at Avalara joining us. Helen talks us through her journey from tech newbie to full-blown ops expert, with all the twists and turns along the way. We dig into her new role, get the lowdown on her approach to leveling up in marketing ops, and swap notes on the art of balancing work and life.

We also dive into her passion projects — think: teaching tech skills, helping Ukrainian immigrants, and running Big Sur by happenstance. She tells us how she also mastered her accent with the help of improv classes (yes, really!) Helen’s got us inspired to keep learning, growing, and, of course, laughing. Catch this one if you're up for some genuine insight with a side of humor and a big dose of heart.

In season one, Kimi Corrigan joined us for a snake draft of our dream MOPs teams. Now, we’ve cornered her to focus on the star of the show. Us. I mean. Her.

Get ready for a wild ride as bestie-of-the-show Kimi Corrigan, VP of Marketing Operations at DataRobot, spills all about her latest chaotic weekend, from party-planning headaches to dreaming up future gatherings (with a little less chaos next time). We dive into the good stuff, like the all-too-real struggles of home repairs, wardrobe planning for the new season (fashion is serious business, people!), and the unpredictable life of parenting teenagers.

Kimi opens up about her unexpected passion for golf and gives us a peek into her team’s quirky work culture—think The Mighty Ducks, but make it corporate. You’ll feel like part of the team as she shares the inside jokes, camaraderie, and why they don’t just work together, they root for each other, too.

Kimi teases some exciting projects on the horizon, like her current obsession with collecting fun, out-there domain names (for that one day they’ll come in handy) and her plans to launch a YouTube channel dedicated to Rummikube, where she’ll mix strategy with laughs. Get ready for an episode packed with relatable chaos, good vibes, and a peek into Kimi’s entrepreneurial brain.

SPOILER ALERT: THE MOMS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT.

Will Aitken joined us for episode 12 of Pretty Funny Business Season 2, and logged a major grievance against his wife, Mary Lynn, who allegedly chose to not pick up a Cinnabon for him while she was out running solo errands across the street from the mall.

Will called up Mary Lynn to interrogate her live, but unfo…

Podcast Description:

On this episode of Pretty Funny Business, Lauren and Sydney chat with sales trainer and content creator Will Aiken. They dive into his journey from sales to becoming a LinkedIn sensation, his thoughts on the role of humor in business, and why he’s not sold on AI in sales. Will also shares hilarious personal stories from life in Nova Scotia, including his tragic Cinnabon craving, and discusses the ongoing rivalry between sales and marketing. It’s a blend of laughs, insights, and off-the-cuff banter you won’t want to miss!

In this episode, Sydney, Lauren, and Laura dive into the magic of those so-called "weak ties" and how they can actually be a game-changer for networking and landing new business opportunities. Laura gets real about how she launched her quirky dinner series, Weak Ties/Strong Bonds (yes, it’s as fun as it sounds), and how it’s been a goldmine for building connections. They also get into the nitty-gritty of email marketing vs. social media—spoiler alert: personalized emails win every time.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an episode without some laughs. They share hilarious stories about the most random ways clients have come into their lives—like, ever gotten a client from a weird email thread? Yeah, it happens.

Laura Maurer opens up about Weak Ties/Strong Bonds, a community and networking dinner series dedicated to uplifting women and gender diverse entrepreneurs and sparking collaborations to create a space where they can thrive together. And guess what—it’s already happening. People are linking up, making deals, and referring clients left and right. She also spills on the tricky part of hosting these events: balancing sponsor value while keeping the whole thing fun for attendees.

And because they can’t help themselves, they wrap things up with a lighthearted chat about the weird world of domain names and a rapid-fire round on personal faves.

In this episode, we chat with Michael Eckstein, the accountant who's making waves in the marketing agency world—and not just because he’s dubbed himself ‘LinkedIn’s cutest accountant.’ Michael spills on the wild side of accounting, like that time a client casually mentioned a safe stuffed with cash or another who brushed off a $140,000 tax bill like it was no big deal. We dive into how Michael’s all about those deep, personal connections with his clients, going way beyond the usual number-crunching to offer a service that’s as high-touch as it gets.

But it’s not all sunshine and spreadsheets. Michael opens up about the frustrations of the accounting world, from the cold, impersonal help desk software that’s creeping into the industry to his own dreams of becoming an influencer and setting up an affiliate shop—only to find out that the accounting world isn’t exactly brimming with opportunities for that. We also get into the sketchy side of affiliate marketing and how some companies are pushing boundaries in all the wrong ways.

Of course, no convo would be complete without a little AI talk—Michael shares his take on the challenges of integrating AI into accounting software and why it’s crucial to keep advocating for clients amidst all the tech changes. Plus, we dish on the invite-only retreats we've been to and why keeping a balance between work and life is non-negotiable. Oh, and there’s a bit of HR talk too, because boundaries, am I right?

In the next part, we dive into the fun stuff—parties, surveys, and pricing strategies. We swap stories about a wild party in Scottsdale, the headache of crafting the perfect survey, and why sometimes, you just gotta raise those prices. Social media’s influence gets a mention, as does our itch to hit up the next big marketing event. And yes, there’s even a segment on tattoos and our signature scavenger hunt!

Finally, we wrap things up with some real talk on everything from the daily struggle of outfit repetition to the lack of accountant representation in media. We get into domain name drama, the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field, and brainstorm ideas for accountant merch. The episode caps off with a laugh-out-loud story about a podcast sponsorship that went hilariously off the rails.

Take Michael's Survey here! https://survey.restingbusinessface.com/

JGOOlrzRmDzCJb3qPCWH

Summary

In this episode, Sydney and Lauren interview Jon Miller, the OG founder of Marketo (among other successes, of course). They discuss various topics, including Jon's experience with yoga, his new startup, and what his family thinks he does for a living.

They also delve into the early days of Marketo and the challenges of being an entrepreneur. The conversation touches on the differences between Marketo and HubSpot, as well as the evolution of marketing automation platforms over the years. The conversation covers various topics related to the history of Marketo and the experiences of the speakers at Marketo Summits.

They discuss the early days of Marketo, including the first Marketo Summit at the San Mateo Marriott and the rebranding of the company's colors. They also share personal stories from the Summits, such as meeting Will Smith and Hillary Clinton. The conversation touches on the domain gate incident in 2017 and the creation of the Phil's Housekeeper Twitter account.

Finally, they mention the new rules of B2B marketing. The conversation explores the shift from the old marketing playbook to the new rules of marketing. The old playbook focused on generating leads and nurturing them through the sales process, while the new rules emphasize building relationships and providing value to customers. The old playbook relied heavily on measurable metrics, while the new rules appreciate the complexity and nuance of the customer journey. The conversation also touches on the importance of managing energy and incorporating daily exercise, as well as the use of prediction markets in politics.