The Ascended Entrepreneur Show

What if the key to building a successful business wasn’t hustle but joy?

In this episode, I sit down with Hannah McKitrick, founder of Dolce Vita Experiences, to talk about the power of living and leading from joy and how that energy can completely transform your business.

After leaving the corporate world at 23 to attend culinary school in southern Italy, Hannah discovered something that would shape her entire path forward: the Italian philosophy of dolce vita — the sweet life.

A lifestyle rooted in savoring, celebration, and slowing down enough to actually enjoy the life you’re building.

In this conversation, we explore how that philosophy translates into entrepreneurship and why forcing strategy often blocks the very success you’re trying to create.

Inside this episode we talk about:

• How Hannah turned her love of Italy, travel, and retreats into a thriving business

• The difference between operating from desire vs. “should” energy

• Why authentic joy is magnetic in marketing and sales

• The cultural contrast between hustle culture and the Italian dolce vita lifestyle

• How intuition often reveals the path of least resistance in business

• Why stepping away from constant doing can accelerate clarity and growth

If you’ve been feeling stuck, forcing strategies that don’t feel aligned, or craving more joy in your work this episode is your reminder that success doesn’t have to feel hard.

Sometimes the most powerful strategy is simply allowing yourself to follow what feels alive.

Learn more about Hannah’s retreats and experiences → Dolce Vita Experiences

Ready to go all in on your business?

Join Total Ascension Business Builder my 6-month program to scale your soul-aligned brand to consistent 6-figure years while working part-time hours.

Use code ASCEND for $222 off your enrollment: ⁠Total Ascension Business Builder⁠

Have a takeaway, breakthrough, or aha moment from today’s episode? 📲 DM me on Instagram ⁠(@theshelbystclair)⁠ I’d love to hear from you!

We are in a trust recession. There’s too much noise. Too many promises. Too much hype. And buyers are slower, more cautious, and more skeptical than ever.

In this episode, I break down why referrals are no longer “nice to have” but essential.

When trust is low, someone else’s voice carries more power than your best sales page ever could.

Inside this episode, I share:

• What a trust recession actually means for entrepreneurs

• Why referrals shorten the buying cycle instantly

• How I built a multi-six-figure business largely through word-of-mouth

• The two referral pathways: direct asking vs. affiliate systems

• How to decide which path is right for your brand

• Why relationship-building beats transactional marketing every time

• The fear of rejection and why it’s costing you income

Referrals aren’t random.
They’re strategic.

And when implemented intentionally, they become an arm of your business that keeps revenue flowing without constant launching, chasing, or convincing.

If you want consistent income in a cautious market, this episode is your blueprint.

Ready to go all in on your business?

Join Total Ascension Business Builder my 6-month program to scale your soul-aligned brand to consistent 6-figure years while working part-time hours.

Use code ASCEND for $222 off your enrollment: ⁠Total Ascension Business Builder⁠

Have a takeaway, breakthrough, or aha moment from today’s episode? 📲 DM me on Instagram ⁠(@theshelbystclair)⁠ I’d love to hear from you!

In this solo episode, I’m diving into something most women completely overlook when trying to scale: Identity.

If you’re hustling, plateaued, constantly tweaking your strategy, or feeling burned out… it’s not just a business problem.

It’s an identity problem.

Inside this episode, I break down what I call SHE-EO Energy — the embodied identity of the woman who leads with power, clarity, and ease.

You’ll learn:

• The difference between your human self and your soulful self

• Why your human self keeps you stuck in hustle, validation, and fear

• How to identify energetic kinks vs. strategic kinks in your business

• What it actually means to activate the SHE-EO identity

• Why scaling to 6 and 7 figures becomes easier when you embody the woman who already holds it

• A guided visualization to connect with your highest self and shift your state

Your human self wants safety.
Your soul self wants expansion.

The woman who runs a 6 or 7-figure business with ease?
She already exists.

This episode will help you meet her and choose her.

Grab The SHE-EO Handbook Here

Ready to go all in on your business?

Join Total Ascension Business Builder my 6-month program to scale your soul-aligned brand to consistent 6-figure years while working part-time hours.

Use code ASCEND for $222 off your enrollment: ⁠Total Ascension Business Builder⁠

Have a takeaway, breakthrough, or aha moment from today’s episode? 📲 DM me on Instagram ⁠(@theshelbystclair)⁠ I’d love to hear from you!

In this episode, I sit down with CPA and founder of Fixit Accounting, Nancy Benet, for a raw and powerful conversation about business, failure, taxes, and rebuilding from rock bottom.

Nancy shares how she went from multiple failed businesses and $650,000 in debt to building a successful accounting firm rooted in alignment, commitment, and mindset work. This is not just a tax conversation — it’s about identity, responsibility, and refusing to have a back door.

We talk about:

• Rebuilding after massive business failure

• The mindset shift that changed everything

• Why successful entrepreneurs don’t operate with a Plan B

• Nancy’s 4-step process for achieving any goal

• How surrender + perspective open unexpected doors

• The truth about business setup (LLC vs S Corp)

• Why “buying deductions” is usually bad strategy

• How to remove the fear around taxes and compliance

• The importance of hiring a CPA early

If money feels heavy, confusing, or overwhelming — this episode will ground you and empower you.

Nancy also shares insights from her book Tame Your Money Monster, where she dives into the root of financial fear and how childhood beliefs shape our money habits.

✨ Learn more at Fix it Accounting
✨ Connect with Nancy and grab her book

Ready to go all in on your business?

Join Total Ascension Business Builder my 6-month program to scale your soul-aligned brand to consistent 6-figure years while working part-time hours.

Use code ASCEND for $222 off your enrollment: ⁠Total Ascension Business Builder⁠

Have a takeaway, breakthrough, or aha moment from today’s episode? 📲 DM me on Instagram ⁠(@theshelbystclair)⁠ I’d love to hear from you!

Are you exhausted from constantly launching, burning out, and starting over?

This episode is your wake-up call.

I’m diving deep into the real reason so many entrepreneurs stay stuck in feast-or-famine cycles, creating offer after offer, chasing quick dopamine hits, and wondering why the income isn’t sticking.

Here’s the truth: Live launches aren't scalable if your nervous system is fried.

Inside this episode, I’ll show you what actually works long-term and how I rebuilt my business through The Power of One method: one offer, one clear message, one soul client, one system, one year.

You'll learn:

• Why live launching keeps you broke and in burnout

• The trap of cheap cash injections + "always creating"

• How the validation loop sabotages your strategy

• Why simplifying your system leads to scalable income

• How to finally build a 6-figure business that runs without running you

  
  

🎯 Ready to step into your Soft + Rich era?
Grab the Power of One guide for just $7: The Power of One

Ready to go all in on your business?

Join Total Ascension Business Builder my 6-month program to scale your soul-aligned brand to consistent 6-figure years while working part-time hours.

Use code ASCEND for $222 off your enrollment: Total Ascension Business Builder

Have a takeaway, breakthrough, or aha moment from today’s episode?
📲 DM me on Instagram (@theshelbystclair) I’d love to hear from you!

In this episode, I’m joined by brand strategist Katie Holmes, whose work goes beyond visuals and strategy to the emotional core of a brand.

Together, we explore what it really means to build a business as a woman — one that reflects your values, your emotional truth, and your ever-evolving identity.

Katie shares how grief, purpose, and creative expression shaped her entrepreneurial path, and why building a brand is more about becoming than it is about perfection.

We dive into:

• Why emotional connection is the foundation of brand success

• How to break free from “perpetual learning” and start imperfectly

• Releasing the fear of judgment as your brand evolves

• Identifying self-sabotage through energy leaks and strategy kinks

• The power of soft launches, pivots, and giving yourself permission to grow

• How to talk about your brand without using confusing language

This episode is your permission to let go of the pressure to "have it all figured out" and show up in your truth, even as it evolves.

Learn more about Katie’s work at brandstudiocreative.comJoin TABB, use code ASCENDED for $222 off: ⁠⁠⁠Total Ascension Business Builder⁠⁠⁠
Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ and share your takeaways from this episode (@theshelbystclair)
Learn more ways you can work with me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.shelbystclair.com

In this episode, I sit down with Jaya Iyer, founder of Svaha USA, a clothing brand beloved by teachers and women who want clothes that actually reflect who they are, not outdated stereotypes.

What started as a simple idea to create space-themed clothing for her daughter turned into a decade-long business built on integrity, patience, and listening deeply to the customer.

Jaya shares the real behind-the-scenes of building a product-based business from the ground up — from validating demand through Kickstarter, to navigating costly supplier mistakes, to choosing slow, sustainable growth over chasing trends or outside investment.

We talk about:

• How noticing a small gap in the market led to a loyal, values-driven brand

• Why honesty with customers builds long-term trust (even when things go wrong)

• The realities of inventory, pre-orders, and cash flow in apparel

• The power of self-belief, focus, and ignoring outside noise

• Why slow growth can actually be the smartest strategy

• What’s next for Svaha USA, including a tween line and swimwear

This episode is a must-listen for anyone building a business from vision, not hype and especially for founders who want to grow without burning out or selling out.

Visit Svaha USA

DM me (@theshelbystclair) your biggest takeaway from this episode.

Use code ASCEND for $222 off Total Ascension Business Builder

In this behind-the-scenes episode, I sit down with brand strategist Adah Kruszlinski of Foreword Branding for a raw, unfiltered audit of my own business, brand, messaging, and online presence.

Adah walks us through a full-blown brand therapy session pointing out where my words didn’t match my energy, where my visuals were off, and how I could simplify my mission to better connect with the women I’m truly here to serve on my way to building a multi-million-dollar brand.

We cover:

• Why your website might be turning people off (without you knowing)

• The disconnect between your gifts and your messaging

• How to translate words into clear client-attracting language

• The truth about visuals, fonts, and building brand trust

• How authenticity always outperforms perfection

• The real reason your soul clients aren’t converting

  
  

This episode is packed with insight, truth bombs, and strategic gold especially if you’ve been stuck in brand confusion or feel like your online presence isn’t fully capturing your power.

✨ Special thanks to @forewordbranding for her amazing work on my rebrand, check it out HERE

Follow me on Instagram @theshelbystclair and send me a DM about what you're taking away from this conversation.

In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the most underestimated tools in your business: your energy.

We’re talking about how your energy sets the tone for your life, your income, your leadership and how to actually shift it, on demand. From the breathwork I use to regulate in real-time, to how I play with energy through small manifestations and gratitude rituals, this episode is your reminder that your external world is always responding to your internal state.

I’m also sharing stories from my own life about how energy can either reinforce chaos… or open you up to miracles.

We’ll explore:

• The energetic frequency of 2026 (and why 2025 required you to shed)

• Why breath is your #1 nervous system reset button

• How to stop manifesting from lack and start leading with power

• Real practices to rewire your energy for overflow

• Why your energy blueprint is the foundation of a soul-aligned 6-figure business

  
  

Ready to shift your state and your success?
Click play and let this one calibrate you.

Grab the Success Blueprint to build your business in energetic alignment.

DM me and share your biggest takeaway (@theshelbystclair)

In this episode, I’m joined by returning guest Kelly Pender for a powerful conversation on identity, frequency, and what it really takes to become the next-level version of yourself.

We break down Kelly’s Rich Coded process — from clearing subconscious blocks and nervous system resistance to rewiring old beliefs and encoding the new identity that matches your next-level wealth, visibility, and power.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in old patterns, scared to be seen, or uncertain how to hold the expansion you’re calling in... this episode is your permission slip and your blueprint.

We talk safety work, energetic capacity, collapsing timelines, and the truth behind why logic is keeping you broke. Let this one activate you.

Hear my story of stepping into a new identity on Kelly's podcast Rewire Yourself Rich

Join Total Ascension Business Builder HERE

Send me a message on Instagram (@theshelbystclair) and tell me what your big takeaway is from this episode