Startup Parent

#040 — 4 Ways to Get Better at Saying No 

There is power in the word NO, just ask any toddler!

But if you’re anything like me, the disease to please often leads to a default YES—or at least a MAYBE.

Problem is, that results in total overwhelm and resentment. No one wants a life controlled by the whims and desires of others. So how do you put yourself back in the driver’s seat and get better at saying NO?

In Episode 39, Val Geisler shared her framework for wielding the power of NO. Today, I’m taking a closer look at this idea, offering my four best strategies for turning down requests gracefully and using language with a built-in NO.

I explain the benefits of getting clear on what you want, avoiding empty promises, and creating boundaries in your own life. Listen in for insight on the social conditioning that makes us fear NO and learn how earn respect by being more strategic with your time.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/040.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Val Geisler on Startup Pregnant
• Implicit Bias Study
• Sara Mauskopf on Startup Pregnant

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant on Facebook
• Startup Pregnant on Twitter
• Sponsor the Podcast
• Email [email protected]

#039 — Hiring Team Members (and Clients) Who Are the Right Fit

How can you be sure you’re hiring the right person? Or that you really want to work with a particular client, for that matter?

Val Geisler has learned the hard way, by giving contractors a chance when they didn’t honor her time and taking on clients who raised a red flag early on. And while there is no magic formula for identifying who is the right fit and who isn’t, Val can tell you what to look out for—and when to listen to your gut. 

Val has a wealth of experience, having worked in corporate America, the startup world, and as an entrepreneur with her own VA and project management businesses. Today, she shares how all of these endeavors have culminated in her current venture, a co-working space for parents with onsite childcare. She offers insight around hiring and training a team, explaining how her first pregnancy facilitated her transition from freelance VA to online business manager. Val walks us through her experience with the startup ConvertKit, discussing how maternity leave looks different as an employee versus entrepreneur. Listen in for Val’s take on why new moms need to know that their work matters and how motherhood and entrepreneurship have changed her for the better.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/039.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Acuity Scheduling. Acuity functions as an online assistant, helping to organize your schedule and collect client information. Take advantage of Acuity’s 45-day free trial for Startup Pregnant listeners at https://acuityscheduling.com/startuppregnant.

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT VAL GEISLER

Val is a digital strategist who specializes in email copywriting and email marketing strategy. She uses email to generate leads and close more monthly recurring revenue for her clients. Val is also the author of The Dinner Party Strategy, a guide to designing a superior customer service experience, and her work has been featured on Meet Edgar, Teachable, ConvertKit, Fast Company and The Huffington Post. Currently, Val is developing The Hive, a coworking space with onsite childcare for freelancers and entrepreneurs.

• Val’s Website
• Val on Facebook
• Val on Twitter
• Val on Instagram
• The Hive

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Book Notes: How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant Newsletter
• Email [email protected]

#038 — Breaking Down The Writing Process

The pressure to be perfect can stop us from putting our ideas on paper—or screen, as the case may be. But if you follow Tara Gentile’s wisdom and reframe your writing as the beginning of a conversation that invites others weigh in, that can be a game-changer.

Welcome to another of my experiments on the Startup Pregnant Podcast: For the month of March, I’ll be sharing a mini-episode that follows each of my long-form interviews, doing a deep dive into one of the topics that came up in the previous episode and offering listeners a useful strategy or actionable application of the guest’s advice.

In Episode 37, Tara Gentile described her ‘call and response’ approach to the writing process. Today, I’m digging into this concept, explaining how collaboration makes my writing better.

I also walk through the three phases of the writing process, describing how each piece requires a different part of my brain and why it’s useful to separate ideation, execution and editing. Listen in as I break down the writing process, offering tips and tools to help you start a conversation of your own.

FULL SHOW NOTES:

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/038.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Startup Pregnant Episode 37
• Jeff Goins
• Captio App
• Evernote

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant on Facebook
• Startup Pregnant on Twitter
• Sponsor the Podcast
• Email [email protected]

#037 — Putting Your Mission Back In The Driver's Seat 

With Tara Gentile 

Rebranding your business is a risk, especially if what you’re doing is still making money.

How can you be sure it’s time to shake up the status quo and shift your focus?

Tara Gentile can attest to the fact that there is no easy framework for making that decision. But a good place to start is by asking the question, “What is the company that I really want to build?”

Tara has spent the last year getting back to her original mission, getting clear and focused on the legacy she wants to leave behind, and rebooting her business to emphasize the community aspect of her small business network and give members access to the collective intelligence of the group.

Today, Tara shares how losing out on a promotion during maternity leave inspired her start her own business. She explains how her business has evolved over time and offers insight around retiring products, hiring employees and putting on live events. I ask Tara about her writing practice, and she speaks to the call-response approach she employs to facilitate conversation among the CoCommercial community. Listen in and learn about how the flexibility of entrepreneurship enables Tara’s atypical co-parenting situation and what her daughter is teaching her about herself.

FULL SHOW NOTES:

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/037.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER:

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Acuity Scheduling. Acuity functions as an online assistant, helping to organize your schedule and collect client information. Take advantage of Acuity’s 45-day free trial for Startup Pregnant listeners at https://acuityscheduling.com/startuppregnant.

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TARA GENTILE:

Tara is the founder of CoCommercial, a social network for microbusiness owners that brings together coaches, consultants, educators, designers and makers who are passionate about taking control of their livelihoods in the New Economy. Tara’s work has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes and Inc., among many others. She is a sought-after speaker on the topics of money, marketing and entrepreneurship, a bestselling CreativeLive instructor, and the author of several books on doing business today. Tara is also the host of Power. Profit. Pursuit., one of the top 24 women-hosted podcasts for business owners.

• CoCommercial
• Tara on Facebook
• Tara on Twitter
• Tara on Instagram
• Tara on Medium
• Profit. Power. Pursuit.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Tara’s Books
• Tara on Creative Live
• Marie Poulin
• Gusto

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pr

#036 — Race, Social Justice and Political Branding with Tepsii

If you don’t use your voice to share your experience, to call out prejudice and promote social justice, are you part of the problem?

Tepsii contends that you are, and she is in the process of rebranding her business to add activism to the platform.

I’m living the ‘learning out loud’ core value today as Tepsii and I get into a dialogue about race and privilege. We talk about the lifetime of work necessary to heal intergenerational patterns tied to self-image—that cannot be resolved in a single mindset session.

Tepsii shares her approach to raising little ones with an awareness of race and class, explaining how the conversations are driven by the children themselves. I ask Tepsii about her experience with microaggressions, and she offers insight around what it feels like to have your culture become the fodder for laughter. Listen in to understand Tepsii’s take on encouraging conversation about race and learn how she is incorporating social justice into her brand as a copywriter and business consultant.

FULL SHOW NOTES:

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/036.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER:

We are putting together a weekly newsletter discussing the joys, the pains, the difficulties and the really useful strategies that make motherhood and work a little more joyful. Sign up at https://startuppregnant.com/newsletter. If you’ve got something in particular that you want us to work on, send us a note at [email protected].

 All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TEPSII:

Tepsii is a copywriter and business strategist who helps entrepreneurs create businesses they love. She is the creator of Tepsii’s Online Business School and Write to Profit, a revolutionary DIY copywriting program. Tepsii specializes in sales copy that converts, and clients use her sales pages to generate $100K product and program launches. She is also a passionate advocate for underserved communities, working to integrate activism into her teaching and speaking platforms. 

• Tepsii’s Website
• Tepsii’s Freebies
• Tepsii on Facebook
• #CopyBesties Facebook Group
• Tepsii on Twitter
• Tepsii on Instagram

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• USC Grammy Study
• Dee Laylor’s Work
• Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation by Derald Wing Sue
• Chris Rock’s Good Hair
• ClickFunnel’s Rap Video

#035 — Ask For The Damn Sale with Tepsii

To do your best work for clients, you have to be taken care of yourself. Yet so many entrepreneurs struggle with asking for the sale.

We hide. We play small. We fail to follow up.

Tepsii understands the ongoing challenge of changing your money mindset and learning to value yourself and the work you do. Though she understood marketing conceptually, her first entrepreneurial ventures were unsuccessful because she wasn’t consistently putting herself out there.

But when Tepsii started using live video as a tool, her brand skyrocketed. She shared her triumphs and challenges, and as people invested in her life, they wanted to work with her. Tepsii’s next challenge was learning how to charge what she was worth.

Now Tepsii coaches other entrepreneurs to #askforthedamnsale. Today she shares her unique parenting journey, discussing the differences among her daughters and how the birth of her youngest inspired her to start an online business. I ask Tepsii how she learned to market her business and what holds entrepreneurs back from playing big. Listen in for insight around getting obsessed with your own success and consistently asking for the sale.

FULL SHOW NOTES:

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/035.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER:  

We are putting together a weekly newsletter discussing the joys, the pains, the difficulties and the really useful strategies that make motherhood and work a little more joyful. Sign up at https://startuppregnant.com/newsletter. If you’ve got something in particular that you want us to work on, send us a note at [email protected].

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.


LEARN MORE ABOUT TEPSII:

Tepsii is a copywriter and business strategist who helps entrepreneurs create businesses they love. She is the creator of Tepsii’s Online Business School and Write to Profit, a revolutionary DIY copywriting program. Tepsii specializes in sales copy that converts, and clients use her sales pages to generate $100K product and program launches. She is also a passionate advocate for underserved communities, working to integrate activism into her teaching and speaking platforms. 

• Tepsii’s Website
• Tepsii’s Freebies
• Tepsii on Facebook
• #CopyBesties Facebook Group
• Tepsii on Twitter
• Tepsii on Instagram

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• The Write to Profit Course

THE STARTUP PREGNANT PODCAST & HOST

• Startup Pregnant
• Startup Pregnant Newsletter
• Email [email protected]

#034 — Truthbombs on Parenting, Entrepreneurship and Pleasure with Danielle LaPorte

“They’re not yours. They are their own soul, and you get the honor of caring for them. They’re their own person, and it is not their job to please you in any way, shape or form.”

Danielle LaPorte’s intuitive nature informs her parenting style, and she shares her spirituality with her son—despite the eye rolling. In fact, her parenting journey began with an overwhelming desire to be a mom that she followed as soon as it arrived, despite the fact that this didn’t fit into her predetermined life plan. And knowing that she might have to live off credit cards for the first two or three years.

Danielle’s next-level understanding of consciousness is the foundation of her parenting philosophy, a philosophy that includes truthbombs like: no shaming, no lying, no psychological game-playing and no pushing your child to be what YOU want. Rather, Danielle encourages parents to pay attention to what their children love and avoid the cynicism and sarcasm.

Today Danielle shares her parenting and entrepreneurial journeys, explaining how the two paths coincide and develop together. She offers her insight on parenting, speaking to the phases, the physical exhaustion and the decisions of what to share (and not share) with your kids. I ask Danielle about the solitude of entrepreneurship and solo parenting, the significance of cultivating adult female friendships, and the value of meditation and pleasure in living a full life. Listen in and learn how to develop a parenting style that is informed by your belief system and honors you child’s soul.

FULL SHOW NOTES:

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/034.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER:

We are putting together a weekly newsletter discussing the joys, the pains, the difficulties and the really useful strategies that make motherhood and work a little more joyful. Sign up at https://startuppregnant.com/newsletter. If you’ve got something in particular that you want us to work on, send us a note at [email protected].

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DANIELLE LAPORTE:

Danielle LaPorte is an inspirational speaker, bestselling author and rockstar entrepreneur. One of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100, Danielle’s work focuses on conscious goal-setting and spiritual devotion. Her website is on the list of Forbes Top 100 Websites for Women, and Entrepreneur Magazine calls her ‘equal parts poet and entrepreneurial badass.’

• Danielle’s Website
• Danielle on Instagram
• Danielle on Facebook
• Danielle on Twitter
• Danielle on Pinterest

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 

• Danielle’s 5 Collections
• White Hot Truth: Clarity for Keeping It Real on Your Spiritual Path—from One Seeker to Another by Danielle LaPorte

#033 — Revolutionizing Parental Leave with a Workplace Advocate With Tracy Candido and Karina Mangu-Ward

Becoming a parent is a transformative experience. And an ideal parental leave policy would offer support before, during and after your time off.

What if your organization went so far as to provide an advocate—someone who was prepared to communicate your point of view in your absence and keep you informed of the most important developments at the office? What if you could return to work feeling engaged and empowered?

Karina Mangu-Ward and her partner Tracy Candido are just returning to work from parental leave, and they both happen to work for organizations that focus on the future of work. In fact, Karina chose to join the team at August Public because of their 16-week parental leave policy. August is built on the principle that everyone has the ability to edit the system, and that gave Karina the opportunity to design her own parental leave. 

She established the idea of an advocate who would keep her goals top of mind and ensure that Karina was well-positioned in the organization when she returned. 

Today Karina explains the work of August Public, discussing how its framework of radical self-management allowed her to design her own parental leave. She speaks to the importance of parental leave (as opposed to ‘maternity leave’) and how men get shortchanged in a system that doesn’t allow them to participate. I ask Tracy and Karina for their insight on a Harvard Business Review article suggesting ‘disability leave’ for the person giving birth and an additional 12-week paid leave for all parents. Tracy addresses the need for psychological safety and open dialogue in the workplace as new parents navigate an identity shift. Listen in for Karina’s take on why startups can’t afford NOT to offer family leave.

FULL SHOW NOTES:

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/033.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER:

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: Meet Edgar! Grab your free two-week trial of Meet Edgar, a social media scheduling tool that allows you to create content once and re-use it as much as you need, at http://ed.gr/startuppregnant.

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TRACY CANDIDO & KARINA MANGU-WARD:

Karina Mangu-Ward is a consultant and facilitator with a passion for coaching teams through organizational transformation. In her current role with August Public, Karina works with Fortune 100 corporations to nurture more creative, self-managing and productive teams. Prior to her work with August, Karina was a documentary filmmaker and Lead Process Facilitator with EmcArts.

Tracy Candido is the Director of Programs and Events at Lower Manhattan HQ, a new collaboration space in the heart of downtown NYC. She curates public programs for the creative business community, promoting LMHQ as a thought leader in the conversation about the future of work. Tracy is also the founder of Lady Boss, a platform for professional growth for women in creative industries.

• Lady Boss
• LMHQ
• August Public

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• ‘A

#032 — Imago, Infertility and 50/50 Parenting with Tracy Candido and Karina Mangu-Ward

“[The fertility struggle] was hard for us both, but it was hard for us together. We were able to kind of knit our relationship, and knit our sorrow and our eventual success into something that made us stronger.”

Tracy Candido and Karina Mangu-Ward are both very driven women with Type A personalities who bring intention to everything they do. So when they were struggling to get pregnant and came to realize that Tracy had unexplained infertility, the couple had to develop new skills around patience and asking for help. In Karina’s words, they had to loosen their grip on what they could manage and control and be ‘at peace in the chaos.’

The fertility struggle was a lesson in persistence and resilience. And at the end of the day, it brought Tracy and Karina closer.

Today Tracy and Karina share the story of their difficult parenting journey, explaining how it affected their relationship as well as their work lives. Tracy discusses the source of the partners’ intentionality and how they designed their own parenting model—without heteronormative standards to rely on. Tracy and Karina speak to the Imago communication style and how it helped them navigate a difficult period early in their fertility journey. I ask them about their 50/50 approach to parenting and their experiences with parental leave. Listen in for Tracy and Karina’s insight around returning to work and owning their roles as new moms.

FULL SHOW NOTES:

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/032.

EPISODE SPONSOR & SPECIAL OFFER:

Thank you to the sponsor of this episode: HippoGive! HippoGive is a new app that donates your change by rounding up your everyday transactions to the nearest dollar and gives it to the charities and non-profits of your choosing.

If you’ve been wanting to donate to Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, or disaster relief you can use this app and it’s a piece of cake. All you need to do is create an account, choose your charity and then set a weekly donation cap. Head to https://startuppregnant.com/charity/ for more information.

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TRACY CANDIDO & KARINA MANGU-WARD:

Tracy Candido is the Director of Programs and Events at Lower Manhattan HQ, a new collaboration space in the heart of downtown NYC. She curates public programs for the creative business community, promoting LMHQ as a thought leader in the conversation about the future of work. Tracy is also the founder of Lady Boss, a platform for professional growth for women in creative industries.

Karina Mangu-Ward is a consultant and facilitator with a passion for coaching teams through organizational transformation. In her current role with August Public, Karina works with Fortune 100 corporations to nurture more creative, self-managing and productive teams. Prior to her work with August, Karina was a documentary filmmaker and Lead Process Facilitator with EmcArts.

• Lady Boss
• LMHQ
• August Public

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Imago Article on Oprah.com

#031 — Taking a Maternity Leave When You Run Your Own Business with Stacey Trock

Any entrepreneur will tell you that stepping away from your business for a full year is not really an option. So how do you design a maternity leave that works for you—when ‘leaving’ in the true sense of the word is out of the question?

Stacey Trock argues that the answer is in scaling back. You don’t have to put your baby in daycare immediately, nor is it necessary to abandon your work completely. Entrepreneurship is about controlling your own destiny, so why not design your own maternity leave, saying YES to the things that generate revenue and help your business grow, while stepping back from the things that don’t?

Today Stacey shares the story of FreshStitches, explaining how her enterprise grew from selling downloadable crochet instructions on Etsy to a thriving subscription business with accompanying teaching and publishing opportunities. She offers insight around functioning without the help of extended family, making the distinction between goals and dreams, and dealing with the pressure to compete. I ask Stacey how she scaled back her business when her daughter was born and what she did to prepare for a year of maternity leave. Listen in and learn how to make the tough decisions about what is essential for the long-term success of your business—and what isn’t.

FULL SHOW NOTES:

Get the complete show notes with episode quotes, photos, and time stamps at http://www.startuppregnant.com/031.

PODCAST SPONSORS:

All of our sponsor offers are available on our website for you to grab the perks and discounts offered to podcast listeners: http://startuppregnant.com/sponsors.

LEARN MORE ABOUT STACEY TROCK:

Stacey Trock is an entrepreneur, marketing consultant, author and teacher. Her career began with FreshStitches, an amigurumi crochet design company with an extraordinary social media following of 500K-plus Facebook fans. Before long, Stacey was running one of the largest subscription clubs in the fiber world. Today, she specializes in connecting small businesses in the yarn industry with easy-to-implement, trendsetting marketing ideas, and Stacey is also the architect of the course How to Take Maternity Leave without Putting Life on Hold. 

• Stacey’s Website
• Stacey on Twitter
• Stacey on Instagram
• FreshStitches
• FreshStitches on Pinterest
• FreshStitches on Facebook

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• CreativeLive
• Cheryl Strayed on The Tim Ferriss Show
• Stacey’s Classes on Craftsy
• How to Take Maternity Leave without Putting Life on Hold
• Work PAUSE Thrive: How to Pause for Parenthood without Killing Your Career by Lisen Stromberg
• MeetEdga