On today's episode, I sit down with writer, messaging strategist, and Sweet Talk & Creative LivingFounder,  Lois Mac, for a conversation about creativity, marketing, identity, and what happens when success starts pulling you away from the work you actually want to be doing.

Lois shares how she went from growing up in a working-class family in England, to building a successful copywriting agency, to eventually walking away from a business that was approaching seven figures because she'd lost the part of herself that loved writing in the first place.

We talk about unlearning the marketing rules we've all been taught, why so many women outsource their authority, how creativity impacts leadership and business, and what it looks like to build a brand around your voice instead of someone else's formula.

This episode is for every ambitious woman who wants more than just revenue. It's for the women who want work that feels meaningful, creative, and fully their own.

Follow Lois on: 

Substack: https://loismac.substack.com/

Timestamps

00:00 — Meet Lois Mack

03:45 — Growing up working class and always knowing she was meant to write

07:00 — From creative writing to journalism to copywriting

11:00 — The moment marketing stopped feeling aligned

13:00 — Building Sweet Talk and creating a different approach to messaging

14:00 — Walking away from an agency that was nearly seven figures

16:00 — Creativity, Costa Rica, and building a life around what matters

22:00 — The process of unlearning everything she was taught about marketing

24:00 — Why ambitious women give their power away

25:00 — Creativity as a leadership skill

33:00 — The "fuck around and find out" approach to building your voice

37:00 — Why creativity and business feel like they're in conflict

39:00 — Starting with yourself instead of the market

42:00 — Rejecting competition and building community instead

45:00 — The dinner table framework for creating content

47:00 — How to balance creativity with business goals

49:00 — Why sales is actually generous

51:00 — The real purpose of content and marketing

55:00 — Where to find Lois and her work

Makenzie Co. founder Makenzie Conklin is a confidence coach, entrepreneur, speaker, and mentor known for helping ambitious women become more confident, disciplined, and unapologetic in business and life.

After leaving corporate and building a multiple six-figure coaching business in her twenties, Makenzie has become known for her bold perspective on confidence, self-trust, and personal growth. Today, she leads a growing community through her program Fiera and creates content centered around audacity, leadership, entrepreneurship, and becoming the person you're capable of being.

Website

Instagram

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Lisette Sanchez, psychologist and founder of Calathea Wellness to talk about what it really looks like to navigate visibility, success, and personal growth as a first-generation woman. We discuss perfectionism, imposter syndrome, public speaking, success guilt, and the challenge of building a life that honors both where you come from and where you want to go. It's an honest conversation about healing, self-trust, and giving yourself permission to take up space.

Connect with Dr. Lisette Sanchez:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefirstgenpsychologist/

Website: https://lisettesanchez.com

Wellness Cards: https://lisettesanchez.com/wellness-cards

Featured Articles: https://www.oprahmag.com/health-wellness/

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction & Connection

01:56 Dr. Lisette's Journey & Becoming The First Gen Psychologist

03:54 The First-Generation Experience & Mental Health

06:08 Visibility, Public Speaking & Being Seen

09:01 Perfectionism & Imposter Syndrome

10:52 Overcoming the Fear of Visibility

14:08 Success Guilt & Its Impact on Growth

25:12 Releasing Self-Limiting Beliefs

26:34 Honoring Your Ancestors' Sacrifices

28:33 The Gift of Access, Information & Resources

30:08 Perfectionism, Progress & Self-Trust

33:04 Defining Success Beyond Traditional Metrics

36:33 Authenticity, Healing & Personal Growth

43:05 Finding Your Own Pace & Trusting Your Journey

This episode is about demand.

What it actually is.

I’m breaking down the difference between visible demand and invisible demand, why visibility matters way more than most people realize, and the psychology behind why people start paying attention, trusting you, and eventually buying from you.

We’re also talking about trust.

REGISTER FOR MY WEBINAR: https://cat-del-carmen.mykajabi.com/center-of-attention

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Visibility and Demand

In this episode, I’m talking about something that is becoming more important than ever in business: trust.

Because here’s the truth.

I’m sharing what I’ve learned while restructuring my business, simplifying my marketing, and paying closer attention to what actually creates demand in today’s market.

Episode Chapters

This episode breaks down what real growth actually looks like—not the polished version, but the part most people don’t talk about: the messy middle. Cat walks through the full cycle of growth, why the middle feels so frustrating, and why it’s actually the most important phase if you want real results. She also shares personal updates, what she’s currently navigating in her business, and why this season feels both vulnerable and necessary.

1:1 Private Coaching: If you want to grow & scale your business in 2026, work with me. Book a sales call here: https://calendly.com/catdelcarmen/consultation

Two of my posts recently went viral — one hitting over 600K views — and it taught me a couple surprising lessons about visibility, positioning, and what actually matters when people flood your page. In this episode, I break down the real lessons behind viral content and what entrepreneurs should understand about attention online.

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In this episode, I’m sharing why I decided to shut down my mastermind, Show Up & Lead — a program that generated over $400K and delivered real results for my clients.

It was successful.

Here’s what I break down:

Why something can “work” on paper and still feel off.

The difference between momentum and alignment.

How burnout can show up quietly.

The questions I asked myself before making the decision.

What integrity in business actually looks like.

I talk about failure fatigue, mental capacity, and outgrowing a version of your own leadership.

This wasn’t about drama.

If you’re holding onto something because it’s successful — but you know it’s not fully aligned — this episode will help you think through that decision clearly and responsibly.

In this episode of the Show Up Real podcast, Catalina Del Carmen talks about why using your voice isn’t optional — it’s how impact actually happens.

She breaks down the ripple effect of sharing your story, why overthinking keeps people stuck, and how your lived experience is already enough to help someone else. This conversation is a reminder that impact doesn’t come from perfection or polish — it comes from showing up and sharing what you know, even while you’re still figuring it out.

If your wisdom is sitting in drafts, this episode is your nudge to hit publish.

In this episode of Show Up Real, Catalina Del Carmen reflects on the last year of growth—personally and professionally—and what it’s taught her about change, business, and self-trust.

This is a conversation about evolution. The kind that doesn’t follow a straight line and doesn’t always look “successful” from the outside.

Catalina shares what it’s been like moving through expansion, contraction, and rebuilding—and why none of those phases mean you’re doing it wrong.