Start Anyway: Building in Public with Madeline Merced

In this Thanksgiving episode, I’m breaking down a mindset shift that changed everything for me as an entrepreneur: your business needs different modes — just like you do. We give ourselves permission to feast on Thanksgiving without guilt… but we expect ourselves to show up in our business the exact same way every single day, no matter how we’re feeling.

Today, I walk you through the three modes every business needs — Feast Mode, Maintenance Mode, and Rest Mode — and how honoring these rhythms can protect your energy, prevent burnout, and actually make you more productive long-term.

We talk about why hustle culture lies, how to check in with your energy and your season, and how to finally stop feeling guilty when you need to slow down. Because the entrepreneurs who build sustainable (and enjoyable) businesses aren’t the ones who grind nonstop… they’re the ones who know when to push and when to pull back.

If you’ve been feeling pressure to be “on” all the time, this episode will feel like a permission slip to breathe again.

Feeling overwhelmed trying to get your business online?

Take my free 90-second “Overwhelmed-to-Online” Quiz to find out your exact next step and I’ll send you the personalized roadmap that fits your season.

➡️ Start now at marymilagros.com/ooquiz
and join my newsletter for weekly strategy notes, design inspo, and business mindset tips.

In this episode, I’m unpacking a mindset trap that keeps so many entrepreneurs stuck: beating yourself up for not starting sooner. You know that quote, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is today”? I heard it again a couple weeks ago, and it hit differently, as a mirror for all the ways we punish ourselves for the time we think we’ve wasted.

I walk you through why your brain loves to replay old choices, why regret feels productive (even though it’s not), and how dwelling on the past quietly steals the very time and energy you need to move forward. We talk through the psychology behind this loop, why your past self truly did the best they could, and the three mindset shifts that can free you from the “I should be further along by now” spiral.

If there’s a business, skill, pivot, or project you’ve been putting off  and you’re tired of feeling behind this episode will help you release the regret, reclaim your momentum, and finally plant the tree you’ve been staring at for way too long.

Feeling overwhelmed trying to get your business online?

Take my free 90-second “Overwhelmed-to-Online” Quiz to find out your exact next step and I’ll send you the personalized roadmap that fits your season.

➡️ Start now at marymilagros.com/ooquiz
and join my newsletter for weekly strategy notes, design inspo, and business mindset tips.

In this episode, I break down one of the most important mindset shifts every entrepreneur needs: nothing in your business is personal, it’s psychology. I walk you through how launches, offers, content, and sales don’t fail because you failed… they fail because you haven’t unlocked the right combination yet.

I share how behavioral economics, perception, and tiny tweaks like button text, pricing shifts, or message framing dramatically change buying behavior and why throwing everything away after one flop is the biggest mistake most founders make.

If you’ve been feeling discouraged or thinking about giving up on something that’s “not working,” this episode will help you reframe it, regroup, and retest with confidence.

Listen in, take what clicks, and remember:
You’re not bad at this you just haven’t cracked the code… yet.

Feeling overwhelmed trying to get your business online?

Take my free 90-second “Overwhelmed-to-Online” Quiz to find out your exact next step and I’ll send you the personalized roadmap that fits your season.

➡️ Start now at marymilagros.com/ooquiz
and join my newsletter for weekly strategy notes, design inspo, and business mindset tips.

You quit your job to find freedom but somehow, you’ve built yourself another cage.

In today's episode, I talk about what happens when the business you built to create freedom starts running your life instead. 

We’ll talk about why so many entrepreneurs end up recreating the same structure they left behind, and how to start running your business on your terms again.

 You’ll learn how to:

• Spot when your business is taking over your life
• Reconnect with the why that made you start
• Set boundaries that actually honor your freedom
• Stop waiting for permission to live the life you already earned

If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll slow down “after the next milestone,” this is your reminder: freedom isn’t something you earn later. It’s something you choose now.

Listen in and make sure the business you’re building still matches the life you wanted.

Feeling overwhelmed trying to get your business online?

Take my free 90-second “Overwhelmed-to-Online” Quiz to find out your exact next step and I’ll send you the personalized roadmap that fits your season.

➡️ Start now at marymilagros.com/ooquiz
and join my newsletter for weekly strategy notes, design inspo, and business mindset tips.

Most people wait to feel confident before they take action. But what if confidence doesn’t come first?

In this episode, I dive into the truth about fear, confidence, and why waiting to “feel ready” is the reason so many entrepreneurs stay stuck.

I’ll break down the mindset shifts that actually build confidence, including:

• Why action—not preparation—creates self-belief
• How to start small and build momentum through wins
• The real difference between confidence and competence
• Why failing faster is the fastest way to grow

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time, the perfect plan, or the perfect version of yourself, this episode is your permission slip to start anyway.

Because courage doesn’t show up before you move. It shows up because you did.

Press play and take the first step, you got this!

Feeling overwhelmed trying to get your business online?

Take my free 90-second “Overwhelmed-to-Online” Quiz to find out your exact next step and I’ll send you the personalized roadmap that fits your season.

➡️ Start now at marymilagros.com/ooquiz
and join my newsletter for weekly strategy notes, design inspo, and business mindset tips.

Feeling overwhelmed, scattered, or stuck in that endless scroll of tasks that never seem to end? You’re not lazy, your brain just needs better boundaries.

In this episode, I break down timeboxing, a simple but powerful focus technique that uses a kitchen timer (yes, really) to transform the way you work, create, and rest. You’ll learn how to turn chaos into calm, stop overthinking your to-do list, and actually finish the things that matter without burning out.

You’ll discover:
⏱ Why a timer works better than motivation or willpower
🧠 How to use “timeboxing” to reduce decision fatigue
🔥 The 3 timer lengths that fit any task (and when to use each one)
✨ How to stop chasing perfection and feel proud of your progress

By the end, you’ll have a simple 3-step method to get more done in less time and finally feel in control of your day again.

This episode is for entrepreneurs, creators, and anyone who wants to rebuild trust with their time.

Feeling overwhelmed trying to get your business online?

Take my free 90-second “Overwhelmed-to-Online” Quiz to find out your exact next step and I’ll send you the personalized roadmap that fits your season.

➡️ Start now at marymilagros.com/ooquiz
and join my newsletter for weekly strategy notes, design inspo, and business mindset tips.

Remember when toddlers learn to walk? They fall a hundred times a day and just keep going. Somewhere between learning to walk and becoming adults, we completely lose that ability to be okay with falling—and as entrepreneurs, that's the #1 skill we need to get back.

In this episode, I'm sharing why discomfort isn't a sign something's wrong—it's actually a sign something's right. It means you're growing, pushing boundaries, and doing something that matters.

I'll walk you through a recent launch where I almost talked myself out of it (spoiler: I'm so glad I didn't), and share the question that completely shifted my perspective: "Are you afraid because something's wrong, or are you afraid because something matters?"

You'll learn:

• How to reframe discomfort as your compass, not your enemy
• 5 mindset shifts that help you use fear and doubt as data instead of direction
• Why your brain will always find "logical" reasons why now isn't the right time (and how to spot the difference between reasonable caution and fear dressed up in logic)
• The hallway with 100 doors analogy that will change how you think about failure
• How to build your tolerance for discomfort like a muscle—starting small and working your way up

Ready to take action? If building your online presence is one of those things that's been sitting in the "uncomfortable but important" category, let's find out what's really holding you back. 

Take my FREE 90-second Overwhelmed to Online Quiz to get clear on where you are in your online journey, what's tripping you up, and what kind of support would make it all feel lighter. I'll give you practical, tailored resources so you can move from overwhelmed to confident, clear, and connected online. 

Take the quiz at MaryMilagros.com

Feeling overwhelmed trying to get your business online?

Take my free 90-second “Overwhelmed-to-Online” Quiz to find out your exact next step and I’ll send you the personalized roadmap that fits your season.

➡️ Start now at marymilagros.com/ooquiz
and join my newsletter for weekly strategy notes, design inspo, and business mindset tips.

What can a stalk of celery and a $14-million violin teach us about marketing, context, and finding your people? In this episode, I discuss a weird concert moment and a famous social experiment to reveal why even the best product can fail if it’s shown to the wrong audience.

I also break down seven powerful ways to create the right context for your offer so your work finally gets the attention and value it deserves.

In This Episode You’ll Learn

1. Why celery matters — the surprising concert story that perfectly illustrates desirability and context.
2. The Joshua Bell experiment — how one of the world’s greatest violinists made only $32 busking with a $14 million instrument.
3. The hidden truth about value — why context, not just quality, determines perception and price.
4. Seven tactical tips for building your audience and creating context that sells
5. How to flip your focus from endless tweaking to finding and nurturing your true audience.

Key Takeaway

Your product might already be amazing but it needs the right stage to succeed. When you build the right environment and communicate the right meaning, even celery becomes priceless.

Resources Mentioned

• Oversubscribed by Daniel Priestley
• Free Branding in Canva Guide → http://marymilagros.com/canva-brand-guide
• Subscribe to the Mary Milagros Newsletter for more mindset and marketing insights → MaryMilagros.com
  
  

Share the Episode

If this episode resonated with you, share it with one friend who’s building something amazing but hasn’t yet found their stage.

Feeling overwhelmed trying to get your business online?

Take my free 90-second “Overwhelmed-to-Online” Quiz to find out your exact next step and I’ll send you the personalized roadmap that fits your season.

➡️ Start now at marymilagros.com/ooquiz
and join my newsletter for weekly strategy notes, design inspo, and business mindset tips.

In this podcast, I discuss the messy side of solopreneurship—where nothing goes quite as planned, and focus feels like a moving target.

I talk about:

• Redoing my homepage to make space for new Showit + Canva templates
  
  
• Figuring out (and re-figuring out) my tech stack with Shopify, WordPress, and Etsy
  
  
• The shiny object pull of LinkedIn vs. staying committed to templates
  
  
• Why I finally decided to join Amy Porterfield’s course-creation program
  
  
• The constant struggle with analysis paralysis and making decisions as a business owner
  
  

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure if you’re making the “right” move in your business, this episode will feel familiar.

👉 I also launched free LinkedIn templates (one banner + two carousels). You can grab those with the link below.
http://marymilagros.com/linkedin-freebie

Check out my templates on etsy here: https://marymilagrosbusiness.etsy.com

#entrepreneurship #solopreneur #buildinginpublic

Feeling overwhelmed trying to get your business online?

Take my free 90-second “Overwhelmed-to-Online” Quiz to find out your exact next step and I’ll send you the personalized roadmap that fits your season.

➡️ Start now at marymilagros.com/ooquiz
and join my newsletter for weekly strategy notes, design inspo, and business mindset tips.

Starting a business requires embracing imperfection and taking action despite technical hurdles and self-doubt. I share my journey of launching a Show It website template business while navigating the complexities of Pinterest marketing, email automations, and product development.

• Overcoming technical challenges with recording equipment and setup
• Launching a Show It website template business with a free sales page starter kit
• Learning Pinterest marketing requires posting 7-15 pins daily
• Entrepreneurs must become competent in many areas: marketing, design, sales funnels
• Most time is spent marketing rather than creating the product
• Embracing vulnerability and being okay with public embarrassment
• The 70% rule: if you wait until you're 90% ready, you've waited too long
• Working on website templates, email sequences, and upcoming product launches
• Developing Canva templates as an additional product line

Join our community to connect with other entrepreneurs on this journey—check the link below to get started.

https://nas.io/mary-milagros

Feeling overwhelmed trying to get your business online?

Take my free 90-second “Overwhelmed-to-Online” Quiz to find out your exact next step and I’ll send you the personalized roadmap that fits your season.

➡️ Start now at marymilagros.com/ooquiz
and join my newsletter for weekly strategy notes, design inspo, and business mindset tips.