YOU do not have to follow the same business playbook as everyone else.

You are allowed to be different. You are allowed to build your business in a way that actually fits you. And you definitely do not have to do something just because everyone in your industry says you should.

We get into the pressure business owners, speakers, and professionals feel to follow the “right” path, whether that means writing a book, offering the same services as competitors, marketing the same way, or checking off a list of things that may not even match their goals.

This episode is about giving yourself permission to opt out of the cookie-cutter version of success, create your own path, and stop forcing yourself into strategies that do not feel natural or make sense for your business.

Be different. Be a nerd. Wear the helmet.

Part 2 Tattoo is here… because apparently everyone had thoughts.

After our first episode about tattoos in the workplace, the comments, texts, emails, and real-life conversations kept coming. So naturally, we had to come back for round two — this time with Tarah’s finished tattoo, more opinions, and even more questions about whether visible ink belongs in professional settings.

We talk about the meaning behind Tarah’s new tattoo honoring her dad, the native Minnesota wildflowers included in the design, the very real pain of an eight-hour tattoo, and why choosing the right tattoo artist matters a whole lot when the artwork is permanently attached to your body.

Then we get back into the workplace debate: Should employees have to cover their tattoos? Are face tattoos different? Can a company decide that someone’s ink does not fit its brand? And are tattooed professionals still being judged before anyone knows how talented, qualified, or capable they actually are?

We also get into tattoo regret, cover-ups, questionable meanings, misspelled tattoos, permanent makeup, generational opinions, and the deeply important question: are they unprofessional tattoos… or are they just bad tattoos?

If you watched Your Ink Is Showing, this is the follow-up you didn’t know you needed.

Tell us in the comments: How many tattoos do you have, and do you think visible tattoos belong in the workplace?

NETWORKING. But not in the usual “how many leads did you get?” kind of way.

Because if the only reason you’re networking is to get referrals, sales, or business cards, you might be missing one of the biggest benefits: being in a room with people who actually get it.

We get into how networking can be a place for problem-solving, support, and real conversations with other business owners who’ve been through it before. Whether you’re dealing with a new challenge, trying to figure out what actually works, or just need someone to say, “Yep, I’ve been there too,” sometimes the real value of networking has nothing to do with the next lead.

We also talk about the other side of that conversation — when business owners take their struggles straight to social media. Is transparency a good thing? Sometimes. But how transparent is too transparent? And when does being open start turning into oversharing?

This episode is really about community, connection, and the reminder that in business, we’re all in this together…

We’re asking a question that somehow feels simple and complicated at the same time: what actually is an influencer?

With construction taking over the studio, we ended up recording from Paula’s Pantry, which honestly felt like the perfect setting for a conversation like this.

We get into what counts as an influencer, who gets to define that label, and whether being an influencer is about followers, impact, content creation, paid partnerships, or something else entirely.

We also talk about how the word gets used, why some people embrace it while others hate it, and how blurry the line can be between business owner, creator, promoter, and influencer.

Once upon a time in 1969…in a little place called Durango, Colorado, there was an entrepreneur that seriously understood the assignment and started: Bar D Chuckwagon.

Tarah and her family were on vacation recently and what she thought was just going to be dinner turned into a full-on experience, chuckwagon supper, live music, kids activities, great customer service, and even a performer with an American Idol connection. It was fun, memorable, family-friendly, and one of those places that gives people way more than they expected.

We get into what made Bar D Chuckwagon stand out, why the overall experience mattered so much, and how businesses that pay attention to the little things are usually the ones people remember. Also, how did Tarah even find out about this place??

If you’re looking for things to do in Durango, CO, curious about Bar D Chuckwagon, or just love seeing a business absolutely nail the customer experience, this one’s for you.

Basically… they had us at chuckwagon supper.

We’re talking tattoos!! Tattoos in the workplace, visible tattoos at work, and why body art still gets treated like a controversy in some industries.

With Tarah heading in for a tattoo, the conversation quickly turned into a bigger discussion about professionalism, hiring bias, company image, and whether employers should care if someone has visible ink.

Let’s get into questions like: should tattoos be covered at work, are tattoos acceptable in professional settings, can a business decide someone’s look does not fit the brand, and where is the line between workplace standards and outdated judgment?

We are going all in on workplace discrimination, personal expression, company culture, and why being qualified, capable, and great at your job should probably matter more than whether someone has ink showing.

It’s the social media disease… known as posting things that absolutely did not need to be posted.

It all started with that insurance commercial where a guy’s basement is literally flooding, and instead of just handling the situation, he’s trying to come up with the perfect caption for social media. One of the agents finally says what we were all thinking: “Or you could just not post it.” And honestly? That sent us.

From there, we got into clickbait, validation, oversharing, and the very blurry line between what should be content and what really, really should not. We talk about why people feel the need to post everything, how social media rewards chaos, and why some things are better left offline.

This episode is part marketing, part internet side-eye, and part public service announcement for the chronically online.

Because not everything needs a caption.

Not everything needs engagement.

And not everything needs to be posted.

You use TikTok for what?!What started as a conversation about how businesses get found online turned into a bigger talk about where people are actually searching these days. Are people still using Google first? Are they jumping to TikTok for places to eat, travel ideas, and things to do? And how much does that change the way businesses need to think about getting found?In this episode, we get into how search habits are shifting, the different ways people discover businesses now, and why you really can’t assume everyone is looking in the same place anymore.From Google and reviews to social media and TikTok search, this one is all about visibility, discoverability, and how customers are actually finding businesses today.Also… we finally disagreed. And honestly, it was kind of overdue. 😉

Beets. Bears. Battlestar Galactica.If you know, you know.In this episode of Royally Unhinged, we’re taking a trip to Scranton and asking a question nobody expected: Was Michael Scott actually right?As it turns out, behind the awkward gift baskets, questionable decisions, and chaotic management style was a surprisingly valuable lesson about relationships, customer loyalty, and standing out in a world obsessed with automation.Along the way, we somehow end up discussing sponsorships for pants, Office personality quizzes, newsletters gone wrong, and enough random tangents to make Michael Scott proud.So grab your World’s Best Boss mug, settle into your favorite conference room chair, and join us for an episode that’s equal parts business strategy, Office fandom, and complete chaos.That’s what she said.

Your business space can either whisper “welcome” or scream “we gave up in 2017.”

If you have a brick-and-mortar business, office, studio, or any place customers physically come to, your environment is saying something about your brand — whether you meant it to or not. We get into how your space shapes perception, creates experience, and becomes part of the story people tell about your business.

Because branding is not just your logo, colors, or social media presence. It is also the feeling people get when they walk through your door.

We talk about why some businesses intentionally create an experience, why others could not care less, and how those choices affect the way customers connect with a brand. From atmosphere to details to overall vibe, this episode is all about the silent messages your space might be sending.

If your space could talk… what would it say?