Small Business Casual: Content Marketing, Productivity, Customer Experience for Entrepreneurs & Creators

Text Emily!

How do you know if a decision is good or bad? 

Can a good decision have a bad outcome? Can a bad decision have a good one? 

In this episode, we’re going to turn over this concept of what makes a good decision good and a bad decision bad AND I’ll give you some curated tips on making BETTER decisions, no matter how great or small! 

• What a Taoist parable can teach us about the decisions we make 
• Distinguishing quality decision-making from outcomes 
• 4 Things that make a good decision good 
• How you feel about your decision matters
• 5 Ways to make your next good decision, better
• The field of possibility
• The 2-way door framework 
• Shipping it 
• Indecision is still a decision 
• And more! 

👉🏻 EXTENDED SHOW NOTES FOR LINKS & Resources Mentioned 

Mark Graban's "My Favorite Mistake" podcast episode, featuring yours truly 

Make a good decision and connect with ME: 

I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more. 

Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. 

Email: [email protected]

Website

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Text Emily!

It seems no matter what you do (or don't do), someone, somewhere has something to say about it. 

You can't and will never make everyone happy. Certain people will never be happy no matter what you do, and you most certainly can't make everyone and yourself happy at the same time. 

In this episode, we discuss choosing the right strategy for YOUR life and business for your marketing, networking, boundaries, pricing, content and more! 

• Showing up in a way you love 
• Pricing yourself for sustainability and growth 
• Setting reasonable boundaries and expectations around responsiveness 
• Content and messaging that says it all... without saying too much! 
• To niche or not to niche 
• Growing your business your way 
• Networking 
• And more! 

Links & Resources Mentioned 

SBC Episode: Making Small Talk Bigger

Connect with me for a 90-minute Strategy Session! 

Connect with me!  

I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more. 

Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. 

Email: [email protected]

Website

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Substack

Text Emily!

You might think it's saving you time, but what's AI costing you and your business? 

“When I see a post from friends or colleagues that screams, 'AI WROTE THIS,' I scroll right by. You might think it’s saving you time, but it’s causing you to lose a member of your audience. I want more of you and your authentic voice. Not the voice of a tool you’ve outsourced your talent and transmissions to.” -Anjel Hartwell 

I'm back with more AI talk! This time, I'm not looking on the bright side like I did in my episode on Creative Ways to Use AI in your business... 

This time I'm sharing some of the dark side(s) of AI. Cause what's a spooky month without some truly horrific findings, amiright? 

In this episode, we're looking at energy expenditure, the tradeoffs to outsourcing our brilliance to AI, and whether or not these tools that are making business "easier" are really worth it. 

Listen to hear: 

• Is using AI outsourcing our brilliance? 
• What are the energy costs associated with AI, and what role do we play in the overall environmental impact? 
• What are the privacy/safety concerns when using AI? 
• What creative/copywriting risks do we run with AI? 
• Does it really save time? 
• How do we as business owners draw the line for ourselves? 
• And so much more? 

👉🏻 EXTENDED SHOW NOTES FOR LINKS & Resources Mentioned 

Want to connect with the human behind this podcast? 

I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more. 

Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. 

Email: [email protected]

Website

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Substack

Text Emily!

All sorts of ghosts can haunt our businesses… from missed opportunities, forgotten content, and neglected relationships that are all but decaying away. 

Don't worry, you can put away your sage...

And you won't need your book on exorcism or spell-breaking... 

This episode has all you need to look the ghosts that haunt your business in the eye and shoo them away. Time to breathe some fresh life into our business as we explore some of the ghosts that will be way less spooky once we face them. 

In the episode: 

• Ghosting your audience (when you're the ghost!) 
• Ghosting clients and collaborators 
• Cleaning out the emails that are haunting inboxes
• Reviving the ghost of content past
• Smaller, less scary, but still important ghosts to face off with 
• 5 Tips for beginning your business exorcism 
• And more! 

👉🏻 EXTENDED SHOW NOTES

Want to connect with me? I promise, I'm not scary! 

I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more. 

Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. 

Email: [email protected]
Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn

Substack

Text Emily!

Almost every business owner finds themselves asking the question at one point or another, "Does my business need a rebrand?"

How do you know when it's time to fully overhaul your brand and when it's time for a simpler refresh? I'm joined by my fellow cozy small business owner friend, Lindsay Dreyer of City Chic Real Estate (rebranding to REVERIE in October 2025), to help you answer these very questions and more about the rebranding process. 

In the episode, we share personal stories, lessons learned, the emotional ups and downs of evolving a brand to match growth and reflect your new direction, and more! Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or leading a team, this episode is packed with insights to help you make confident branding decisions.

• The difference between a brand refresh and a full rebrand, and how to know which your business needs
• Personal experiences and challenges faced during the rebranding process
• Tips for managing timelines, teams, and expectations during a brand overhaul
• Important questions to ask collaborators 
• Actionable advice for making your brand feel truly “you”

And more! 

Links Mentioned: 

👉🏻 Emily's ULTIMATE REBRANDING GUIDE 

Jess Mercier | JM Artist/Designer Website | Instagram | Brand Transformations Podcast

Tuo Studio

Connect with Me, Emily Aborn 

I'm Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more. 

Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. 

Email: [email protected]
Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn

Substack

Connect with Lindsay Dreyer

Founder of Happy Agent Co. and The Happy Agent Method, Broker and Owner of City Chic Real Estate, and mom of three. 

🌎 Website | 📲 Instagram | 🎙️ Podcast

Text Emily!

In last week’s episode, we talked about literal small talk… the awkward weather banter at a networking event, the Zoom conversation you get stuck in that seemingly goes nowhere fast, and the idle chit chat that’s draining.

We learned that while small talk SEEMS small, it can act as a catalyst for bigger conversations and deeper talk. What starts small can have a BIG impact. 

Today, we’re going to get into figurative "small talk": the language and patterns that seem little (sometimes even three letters or less), but they can show up in BIG ways in your business and mindset. 

Ready to stop shrinking your presence and learning the small words that keep you from playing BIG? 

• What do I mean by words that keep you playing small? 
• 6 Ways our language may unintentionally keep us from playing BIG
• Resources and ideas to start removing these things from your everyday vocab
• And more! 

Resources and Links: 

👉🏻 EXTENDED SHOW NOTES (on Substack) including articles, stats, reference links, and bonus info! 

Jenny Belanger's Episode #91) What High-Converting Websites Don't Do

Playing Big by Tara Mohr

"Some um, surprising advice for public speakers" by Mignon Fogarty

Ready to play and say BIGGER? Let's Connect!  

I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more. 

Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. 

Email: [email protected]
Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn

Substack

Text Emily!

Do you dread swapping senseless words with cashiers and strangers out in public? Do you go out of your way to avoid neighbors, coworkers, or people you know at the grocery store lest you get stuck in idle chit chat? Do you get heart palpitations thinking about discussing the weather at a networking event? If so, you may have an aversion to SMALL talk. 

And yes, you may be entitled to some sort of compensation (talk to your lawyer for legal recourse). Today, we're going to get into the ins and outs of small talk, what it is, why it happens, and how to escape it as fast as possible. Or... perhaps it's not the archenemy we make it out to be? 

Inside the episode: 

• What is small talk? The various definitions of small talk
• Why do we dislike small talk? 
• Stats showing what small talk does in the workplace/business 
• 5 Benefits of small talk as business owners
• 5 Ways to move small talk to bigger talk 
• Keys to small talk comfort 
• And more 

Resources and Links Mentioned: 

👉🏻 EXTENDED SHOW NOTES (on Substack) including articles, stats, reference links, and bonus info! 

Want to connect and talk BIG with me? 

I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more. 

Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. 

Email: [email protected]
Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn

Substack

Text Emily!

You are not "just" anything. You're not just a business owner, parent, spouse, community member, speaker, podcaster, writer, etc. 

You're a multifaceted human being who gets to bring your WHOLE self everywhere you go! 

Just like a recipe made up of lots of parts and pieces, a dash of this and a dash of that, we are too. In this episode, I'm sharing some ideas that have helped me grow in my business and throughout my entire life in small, surprising ways. 

Join me as I share: 

• 3 Myths about owning a business while having a life 
• 5 Ideas to spark joy outside work that will help you thrive in surprising ways 
• Bonus mini-routines that can increase creativity, help you connect to others, learn about the world around you, and grow
• And more! 

Resources & Links Mentioned: 

👉🏻 EXTENDED SHOW NOTES (these are now on my Substack, I welcome you to come join me over there too!) 

The Karen Kenney Show 

The Secret Room Podcast 

What It's Like to Be Podcast with Dan Heath 

Smartless Podcast

Dr. James Pennebaker's Science-Backed Journaling Protocol 

Julia Cameron's Morning Pages 

Brett Ingram's OptYOUMize Podcast "The Bucket Method" 

About Me: 

I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more. 

Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. 

Email: [email protected]
Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn

Text Emily!

The Content with Character has a FRESH face and has been rebranded, officially, to Small Business Casual! 

This is the FIRST episode in our new digs where the goal is to help us create small businesses that feel like ahhhhhh, home. 

On this episode, I share a little bit of why I changed the name and am steering away from "content" a bit more in general, plus three lessons learned through the podcast rebranding process: 

• The difference between copy and content 
• Why the decision to rebrand
• Changes to help us engage more and grow! 
• It's OK to change your mind 
• Trust yourself when something feels off 
• Change can be scary, and it’s worth it!

About Me: 

I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more. 

Successful marketing starts with a big picture approach and begins with genuine connection as you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. 

Email: [email protected]
Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn

Text Emily!

Listen, enjoy, and walk away feeling empowered and ready to become their FAVORITE podcast guest. 

Join myself, Barb Davids, and Ande Lyons in this LIVE re-aired workshop as we dish out insider secrets and goodies to help you UP your guesting game!

The conversation includes: 

• How to ruin a good pitch FAST by making a crucial mistake
• How to set yourself apart even in a noisy industry 
• Tips for standing out with your pitches 
• How to prep for your interviews 
• Where to find podcasters to pitch
• Remembering your worth and value as a guest
• Adopting a giver's mindset
• And so much more! 

Resources & Links Mentioned: 

Full Video Replay of this LIVE

Emily's Guest Bundles 

Join PodMatch

New England Podcasters Group

CWC Episode: 4 Top Takeaways from 53 Podcast Guest Interviews & Standing Out as a Podcast Guest

Podcast Guesting Tracker Template

Guest/Speaker One-Sheet Template

Barb’s Podcast Guest Form

About the Hosts:

Ande Lyons

At 69, Ande Lyons is living proof that ambition is ageless. A 4x business founder, longtime global startup mentor, and serial podcaster since 2012, Ande brings decades of entrepreneurial spirit and broadcasting experience to everything she does. She's the founder of the New England Podcasters Group and the host of Don’t Be Caged By Your Age, a popular podcast where she’s redefining what it means to thrive after 65.

Barb Davids

Founder of Compass Digital Strategies and Host of the Small Business Sweet Spot podcast, Barb Davids is a Website Marketing Consultant and SEO Strategist with over 25 years of digital marketing experience. She helps ambitious business owners get direct results from their digital marketing and SEO. 

When not behind her laptop, you can find Barb running with her dog, Stone, living a minimalistic lifestyle, and reading yet another self-improvement book! 

Emily Aborn 

I’m Emily Aborn, a Small Business Copywriter and host of Small Business Casual. I help small businesses grow with marketing that makes a distinct imprint. I believe that sharing your work goes beyond strategies, frameworks, content for content’s sake, more social media posts, more, more, more. 

Email: [email protected]
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