Real Biz Talk with Rachel Brenke

I welcome a true powerhouse woman, Cheval, the creative director and owner of She is Cheval, a specialty women's shoe brand. As our conversation unfolds, you'll discover the remarkable journey of a woman who has successfully rebranded herself after a high-stakes legal battle.

Cheval's story takes a unique twist from her previous life as a renowned designer, where she was forced to shed her birth name due to legal constraints. The discussion touches on her recent venture, the "A Girl You Might Know Foundation," a nonprofit inspired by her own experiences. While diving into the nuances of her legal battle, Cheval shares valuable insights that resonate with entrepreneurs and creatives alike.

We explore critical lessons from Cheval's journey. They emphasize the importance of specialization and protection for creative individuals who may become overly focused on their craft. Cheval's transformation from a "reckless optimist" to a responsible entrepreneur highlights the significance of self-advocacy and mentorship.

Listeners can expect a thought-provoking discussion that delves into the complexities of entrepreneurship, legal challenges, and the inspiring resilience of a woman who continues to design her destiny. To learn more about Cheval's story and her inspiring work, check out the link below:

https://www.insider.com/hayley-paige-gutman-jlm-couture-controversy-timeline-2021-1

When you walk into a space, whether it’s the waiting room of a doctor’s office or a hotel lobby, it can be easy to forget that someone has made a decision about every aspect of that environment, from the colors on the wall to the chairs you’re sitting in. Today’s guest, Carmeon Hamilton, discovered interior design while in college and immediately started working in the corporate space upon graduation, making her aware of the infinite number of behind-the-scenes decisions that shape our built environments. Since then Carmeon has walked a fascinating path, from learning to sew and build original furniture to starting her own design brand and business, Nubi Interiors, to triumphing as the winner of HGTV’s Design Star: Next Gen. I talk with Carmeon about her journey into entrepreneurship, the setbacks she experienced along the way, and how having supportive processes in place can be a lifeline when the unthinkable happens. While Carmeon has had truly wonderful successes, she has also had to contend with unimaginable loss. In our conversation, she provides insight into what it was like losing her husband just as her show was about to premier and what she has learned from trying to make sense of the experience since. Carmeon also shares exciting details about what she has coming up, including a new TV show and a book expressing her philosophies on life and design. Join us for an expansive conversation about the many facets of entrepreneurship and finding meaning, even in life’s most difficult moments.

When the world was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic, most businesses were left scrambling to adapt. And while many companies weren’t able to continue, others found ways to pivot and (in the process) were able to diversify and elevate their businesses in profound new ways. Such was the case for today’s guest, Whitney Eckis, Founder and CEO of Eckis Marketing, a creative communications agency based in San Diego, California. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic was an extremely challenging time for her company, Whitney was able to embrace it as an opportunity. She used the pandemic to invest time and energy back into her business by integrating what truly interested her and her team, which allowed her to pursue new opportunities for her company and even double their revenue in both 2021 and 2022! Her story isn’t one of pure success, though. There were many experiments that failed or didn’t go as well as they had hoped. But there’s always something to be learned from your setbacks, and ultimately they make the breakthroughs that much more rewarding! Today on the show, we chat with Whitney about her journey as an entrepreneur, how to build a community around your brand on social media, and the importance of being able to adapt to changing circumstances. She discusses the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic before describing their pivot into Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) with the launch of their CBD coffee brand Get Supr® and the powerful impact it has had on their marketing agency. For a fascinating conversation on the power of the pivot and much more, be sure to tune in today!

Few entrepreneurs start and exit with the same idea. Today’s guest, Brock Johnson, is here to remind listeners that there’s power in just getting started. Tune in to hear Brock’s story of entrepreneurship success, starting with equipping parents to keep their children safe in the digital world. Brock defines entrepreneurship as paid problem solving, and believes strongly in the power of having a niche. Hear all about the memberships Brock offers to help users make the most of social media for business, and much more today. Thanks for tuning in! 

In all facets of life and business, change is inevitable. The key to ensuring that you stay relevant is to be flexible and willing to adapt to those changes. Today’s guest is Sarah Hill, who started her career as a nurse and, since pivoting to entrepreneurship, has founded multiple successful businesses. During this episode, Sarah and I discuss why you shouldn’t aim to create "perfect" content for social media, why a business plan is crucial for the success of your business (even though it can be a tedious task), how she has managed to avoid burnout throughout her career, and more. The entrepreneurial journey is hard, but it shouldn’t weigh you down, and the advice that Sarah shares in today's episode will help you make it the most fulfilling it can be!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Insight into Sarah’s decision to leave nursing to pursue photography.
• Valuable lessons that Sarah has learned through her photography business. 
• How Sarah stays up to date in terms of how she communicates with her target market.
• Sarah’s approach to Instagram marketing, and how it has changed over time.
• The importance of showing your target market who you are on social media. 
• Why she sets a time limit for how long she can spend creating content. 
• How to think about failure as an entrepreneur. 
• The factors that have enabled Sarah to avoid burnout. 
• Sarah’s number one piece of advice for new business owners. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sarah Hill on Instagram
Atomic Habits
Rachel Brenke
TheLawTog

I’m so excited to have Jamie Otis (you may have heard of her) back on to chat about life, love, and all the things in between. Jamie was on Married at First Sight and The Bachelor, but today we talk about life beyond the silver screen. Fair warning – this episode may feel heavy at times as we discuss trauma-related topics, therapy and more, so please listen with care. Whether you’re a biz owner or not, this episode is packed with wisdom that’s relevant to every stage of life. We talk about therapy being a key element to Jamie’s healing journey, her authentic online presence, building her personal brand, and the lessons learned along the way. Most importantly, Jamie shares key advice on the power of pausing. Join me and listen in to one of my favorite body-positive influencers and momtrepreneurs.

If you watch NFL football on Sundays, or you’re a NASCAR fan, you’ll know today’s guest, Shannon Spake for her work as a broadcaster. She’s also a mom of twins, and an Ironman triathlete, and loves to give back to herself, her community, and her family. During today’s episode, we are lucky to host her for a conversation about the challenges of balancing motherhood and business. Shannon’s message comes down to one simple word of advice; to give yourself grace. Tune in to hear how Shannon’s involvement with many different things helps her to avoid burnout, and how being a part of the endurance community gives her an opportunity to fill her cup. Hear about her relationship with triathlons, how one of the characters in Disney’s Cars 3 came to be named after her, and what it has been like to work in a male-dominated field, with the support of fellow NASCAR reporter, Jamie Little. Join us to learn all about Shannon’s unique road to building a rich and fulfilling life that is as multifaceted as it is successful. Anyone can learn from these powerful insights, but if you’re feeling the pressure as a mom building a career, you can’t afford to miss today’s conversation.

Shewww, we packed A LOT into this podcast episode this week! Kia Young, speaker for the Tory Burch Foundation, joins in to chat about the challenges of being an entrepreneur, how marketing strategies have shifted, common mistakes entrepreneurs make, and the importance of an impact-driven mindset. Kia is a successful entrepreneur and an expert in designing and implementing sustainable marketing strategies and systems for companies, known for her no-nonsense approach to business and life. She brings so much to the table and today, she’s sharing the importance of building a community around you, along with other tips and wisdom to help you reach success in your biz.

Listeners may recognize our guest from over 60 roles on the big screen, playing alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, in the blockbuster film, Now You See Me, and on True Detective. But today, she’s here to talk about the eight books she has penned, and to share her unique story of entering the acting world before leveraging what she
had learned to find entrepreneurial success. 

Join us for some pearls of wisdom suited to actors, authors, and entrepreneurs, including what Laura would say to her younger self and why it’s so important to approach your work as an actor through a business lens. Laura shares the remarkable story of how she went from writing one book in twenty years, to writing four in five, along with why she aims to have ‘God’s eye view’.

We discuss the one question entrepreneurs don’t ask, and how asking it can change everything, and Laura shares how her life has exceeded all the expectations she had as a young person. Press play to hear all this and more today. Thanks for tuning in!

Whew! We are just into the new year and...well..it's been a doozy for many...not unlike the last few years.

The thing is, every day we are not working ON our business (versus in) is a day we're losing out on advancement. Lost opportunities. Lost connection. Lost brand value built.

However, I get it friend - the start of a new year can be exciting and intimidating - but I am here to help you. 

If you are thinking of bypassing this episode, I want you to picture the movie Jerry Maguire when he's on the phone shouting "SHOW ME THE MONEY!" but instead I want you to shout SHOW ME THE XXXX. It can be money, more time, more clients, more life. Whatever you are craving for yourself right now.

Overcoming these hurdles and implementing new practices can be daunting especially when you've been cobbling together a course here, a podcast there. This is why I'm getting very strategic on the episodes I'm bringing to you. They build on each other and have action items that WILL improve the trajectory of your business if you do the WORK.