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In this episode of Small Business Bestie, Michelle sits down with Kim and Sherry for a heart-filled, laughter-packed conversation about sisterhood, purpose, mindset shifts, and the power of women truly showing up for each other.

From building community online and in real life, to rewriting the stories we tell ourselves about confidence, beauty, and worth — this conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to do life or business alone.

📲 Connect with Our Guests

IG

• Kim McGinnis
• Sherry Elam Hayes
• Michelle Smock

Facebook

• Kim McGinnis
• Sherry Elam Hayes
• Michelle Smock

💛 Community Invitation- sometimes the bravest thing you can do is ask to be connected 💛

📚 Books Referenced

• The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon
• A powerful read on mindset, perspective, and taking control of your outlook.
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• A favorite for building small, consistent habits that compound over time.
• The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
• Discussed in the context of discovering purpose and meaning at every stage of life.

🎧 Related Episode

• Michelle references a previous Small Business Bestie episode featuring Beth and the “Joy Cup” story.
  👉 Episode 15 

🌟 Upcoming Event 

Vision Board Experience (In-Person – @ the Camel Club, Lexington, KY)

• Hosted collaboratively by Kim & Sherry (with Michelle cheering from the sidelines 😉)
• Designed to be intentional and guided, not just a cute craft night
• Focused on aligning business goals, personal life, and CEO mindset
• Scheduled for February (intentionally not January — because survival mode is real)
• 👉 Message Kim if you're interested, spots are very limited!

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Tech is essential for all small businesses, but many entrepreneurs overlook critical IT security measures until it's too late. Tina Watson, IT consultant with 25 years of experience, shares how proper technology planning can protect your business from devastating data loss and security breaches.

• Small businesses are prime targets for hackers precisely because they often lack proper security measures
• Security basics include strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and regular software updates
• "Cloud" services aren't actually ethereal—they're physical servers that can be compromised without proper backups
• Managed IT services provide predictable monthly costs while ensuring proper security protocols and support
• Even low-tech industries now rely heavily on technology, creating new vulnerabilities that must be addressed
• Professional IT support helps prevent catastrophic data loss that can force businesses to close permanently
• Simple physical issues like overheating servers or damaged cables can cause significant tech problems
• Screen protectors can prevent sensitive information from being viewed from the side in public settings

Follow Tina and ExactIT Solutions
Tina's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tina.watsonsparkman
Tina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/techchic/
ExactIT Solutions Website: https://exactitconsulting.com/

Visit CultivateLex.com or find us on Facebook to learn more about our sponsor, Cultivate Accounting, and schedule a free 30-minute review call to discuss your financial questions each month.

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In this heart-to-heart episode, financial strategist Tremaine Wills of Mind Over Money joins Michelle to unpack the messy, magical world of small business finances.

Tremaine shares her FREE Indeed framework and gives a candid look at how pricing too low almost derailed her success. We talk about:

• The lies we believe about money (and how to unlearn them)
• The secret to charging what you're really worth
• Why building wealth isn’t selfish—and why your goals don’t have to be "for someone else"
• Pricing strategy for service-based businesses (hint: aim for 70% margins!)
• How your spending already reveals your true values
• Aligning your vision, money, and mindset for next-level growth

✨ LINKS & RESOURCES:
 Website: https://mindovermoney.net
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mindovermoneycoach

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She’s a coach, a marketer, and a relentless champion for her community. Meet Tora Carter, who’s leading the charge to restore one of Lexington’s most historic buildings—the Robert H. Williams Cultural Center.

🎙️ In this episode:

• The extraordinary story of 15+ Black women who founded an orphanage in 1892
• How Tora blends roles at Guide Realty, Transy Athletics & the Cultural Center
• Creative ideas to serve Lexington’s small businesses
• Why the attic space will be your new fave event venue
• And yes, Raquel Carter, Tora's leader at Guide Realty is running for mayor 🙌

💥 Want to help? Follow the Cultural Center on Facebook, DM to get on the mailing list, and stay tuned for clean-up days and the September Homecoming event!

🔗 Resources:

• Cultural Center Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhwcclex
• Compass Center: https://www.guide-realty.com/compass-center/ 
• Guide Realty: https://www.guide-realty.com/
• Raquel’s campaign page: https://www.raquelforlexingtonmayor.com/
• Bricks of Grace by William R. May - DM the Center for more information
• A Will to Be Free by Dr. Loretta Flynn Byer – DM the Center to purchase

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZvC2mYQxK8sHPNRvm5zNT?si=44601c1bdaa54e89
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/small-business-bestie/id1733760829

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Kelli Gabat, owner of Wildfire Yoga, shares her eight-year journey from corporate worker struggling with anxiety to successful studio owner, teacher trainer, and wellness entrepreneur who recently expanded her business.

• Started yoga to help with anxiety and depression while working corporate jobs for over a decade
• Beginning with an 800 square foot subleased space before expanding multiple times
• Navigated COVID by immediately shifting to virtual without closing, while also processing personal grief
• Recently opened Wildfire Wellness with infrared saunas, cold plunges, and red light therapy
• Created a true community space where members feel comfortable making it their own
• Emphasizes starting small and being specific about what you offer rather than diversifying too quickly
• Believes in the power of mindfulness to create mental space for better business decisions
• Suggests beginning each day with gratitude as a "game changer" for overall mindset
• Recommends focusing on breath awareness when feeling stressed or overwhelmed

Visit Wildfire Yoga or Wildfire Wellness in Lexington's Warehouse Block. New students can try an intro offer of $59 for one month unlimited yoga. Book classes through MindBody under "classes" for yoga and "appointments" for wellness services.

Connect with Wildfire Yoga and Wildfire Wellness
Wildfire Yoga

Website: https://wildfireyogaky.com/
IG https://www.instagram.com/yogawildfire/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yogawildfire

Wildfire Wellness

Webssite: https://wildfirewellnesslex.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/wild_firewellness/

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Michelle shares the process of conducting a mini CEO retreat, offering a framework for small business owners to reset their vision, values, and goals to realign their business with their deepest aspirations.

• Taking intentional time to pause and reflect on what's working and what's not in both business and personal life
• Creating a values-based decision-making framework that takes the guesswork out of business choices
• Using the "BESTIE" values acronym: Bravery, Empathy, Simplicity, Trust, Integrity, and Energy
• Setting grace-filled goals rather than guilt-based ones driven by comparison or "shoulds"
• Balancing minimum goals (consistency-focused) with stretch goals (possibility-focused)
• Developing a clear 5-year vision, 3-year targets, and 1-year goals that align with your values
• Recognizing the different seasons of business: building, resting, pivoting, and growing
• Introducing the Bestie Boardrooms - weekly mastermind groups for accountability and support

If you fully trusted yourself and your business, what's the next bold step you would take? Share your answer in our Facebook group or send a DM on social media, and join us in July for the launch of Bestie Boardrooms!

Bestie Boardroom Applications: https://www.smallbusinessbestie.org/boardroom-application

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Mickaylyn Conrad shares her vision for Mick's Pot Spot, an accessible and inclusive plant shop designed to be a welcoming space for people with disabilities and their caregivers. Through her personal experience as a special needs mom and her work with the nonprofit A Different World, Mickaylyn recognized the need for spaces where families with disabilities can simply exist without judgment.

• Inspired by her own journey as a mom to a child with level three autism and cerebral palsy
• Creating a plant shop that removes barriers for disabled people and their caregivers
• Working with an autistic architectural designer to ensure the space is truly accessible
• Will offer assistive technology and adaptive equipment rarely found in brick-and-mortar retail
• Plans to support disabled artists and creators by providing affordable vendor opportunities
• Designing a safe, comfortable place where caregivers can work while children can be themselves
• Community has rallied around the concept with volunteers offering expertise and support
• Fundraising through GoFundMe, t-shirt sales, and community involvement

If you'd like to support Mick's Pot Shop, 

visit the Facebook page, 

share the project with friends, 

or donate through the GoFundMe

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Have you ever wondered what happens when business partners who are married decide to separate? Or how successful entrepreneurs actually manage the chaos behind their seemingly perfect Instagram feeds? This raw and honest solo episode pulls back the curtain on real entrepreneurial life.

Michelle Smock delivers a refreshingly transparent update on major transitions happening in both her personal and professional worlds. She shares the thoughtful solution she and her husband Neal developed for their accounting firm after their separation—a practical example of how business relationships can evolve separately from personal ones when both parties prioritize client care. For entrepreneurs in similar situations, this conversation provides valuable insight into navigating complex transitions with grace.

The episode also announces an exciting merger between Small Business Besties and Women's Entrepreneurs Lex, a seven-year-old networking group for female business owners in the Lexington area. This expansion means both morning and evening networking opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking community support. Michelle details the schedule—second Monday mornings and fourth Wednesday evenings—creating multiple touchpoints for women who crave real connection in their entrepreneurial journey.

Perhaps most valuable is Michelle's candid discussion about managing overwhelm while juggling three businesses and family responsibilities. She introduces InMotion, an AI-assisted scheduling tool that has transformed her ability to prioritize effectively, and shares her ongoing struggle with delegation—particularly her decision to outsource social media management after recognizing it as a consistent energy drain. This vulnerability around perfectionism touches on a challenge many entrepreneurs face but rarely discuss publicly.

Subscribe to Small Business Besties for regular conversations that normalize the messy reality of entrepreneurship. Join our Facebook community, share episodes that resonate with you, and consider leaving a review to help other business owners discover this supportive network of like-minded professionals.

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Diana Keating shares her journey as both co-owner of Close to Perfection flower shop and a media executive at WKYT, demonstrating how to successfully balance creative side businesses with full-time careers. Through her partnership with childhood acquaintance Erin Graf, Diana reveals how complementary skills and clear communication create business harmony.

• Originally from Illinois, Diana reconnected with high school acquaintance Aaron Graff in Lexington, leading to their floral business partnership
• Close to Perfection remains intentionally a side business, focusing on creating beautiful arrangements while maintaining work-life balance
• Diana handles accounting while Erin leads flower selection, creating a "yin and yang" partnership dynamic
• At WKYT, Diana helps businesses with comprehensive marketing strategies beyond traditional TV advertising
• As one of the largest digital agencies in the country, WKYT offers SEO, paid search, targeted display ads, and streaming TV advertising
• Diana builds client trust through providing data, industry insights and maintaining genuine interest in their businesses over the typical 90-day buying cycle
• Ladies Leads Lex, where Diana serves as vice president, welcomes female entrepreneurs to their visitor day on the 15th at Sullivan University
• The women's networking group particularly needs members in trades, landscaping, med spa, and medical professional categories

Follow Diana and all of her ventures here:
Media Executive at WKYT
[email protected]

Close 2 Perfection - Your local florist
close2perfectionlex.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566348394746
IG: https://www.instagram.com/close2perfectionky/

Follow Diana
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-keating/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/diana.nowakowska

Ladies Leads Lex
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067416445699
https://www.ladiesleadslex.com/

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Executive coach Katie Neal shares insights on confident communication for women leaders and the importance of understanding your core values to navigate career and life transitions.

• Transitioning from PR and communications to executive coaching after 20+ years in the field
• Creating "What The 40s" (WTF) - a small group coaching program for women navigating mid-life challenges
• Understanding that core values aren't aspirational but what truly drives us at our core
• Acknowledging that values like "family" or "kindness" may not be our core values despite their importance
• Recognizing the double standard where assertive women are labeled negatively while men are praised
• Moving beyond the ineffective "compliment sandwich" to provide clear, direct feedback
• Eliminating diminishing language like "just" and "I think" from professional communication
• Building relationships and networking as foundational skills for business success
• Being the woman who builds up other women rather than tearing them down

Check out Katie's Website here:

https://www.katienealconsulting.com

Follow along with Katie
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katieneal/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katiecollinsneal

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

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