The Back Office

What does it really take to write a book… and build a message people connect with?

In this episode of The Back Office, I sit down with author, storyteller, and entrepreneur Shelby Gardner to talk about the unseen side of authorship, vulnerability, branding, and creating something meaningful in public.

Shelby recently released her book, Lily Pads: remembering, reclaiming, & tracing back to where Jesus has always been—a deeply personal and interactive heart study designed to help readers revisit their stories and discover where Jesus has been present all along.

But this conversation goes far beyond the pages of a book.

We talk about the emotional weight of writing honestly, the discipline it takes to finish creative work, the business side of being an author, building an authentic brand online, and what it looks like to create while balancing family, entrepreneurship, and faith.

Whether you’re a writer, entrepreneur, creator, or simply someone trying to build something meaningful, this conversation offers both encouragement and practical insight into the process behind the product.

Show Notes
Guest: Shelby Gardner
Business: Author of Lily Pads,  Writer of The Lily Letters

Shelby Gardner is the author of Lily Pads: remembering, reclaiming, & tracing back to where Jesus has always been, writer of The Lily Letters, entrepreneur, storyteller, wife, mom, and someone who has built a platform rooted in vulnerability, honesty, and faith.

Learn More:

https://shelbygardner.com/

Book: Lily Pads: remembering, reclaiming, & tracing back to where Jesus has always been: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GN2V1NMM?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_3X8XKW5236228D1WPB82_1&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_3X8XKW5236228D1WPB82_1&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_3X8XKW5236228D1WPB82_1&bestFormat=true

Newsletter: The Lily Letters: https://thelilyletters.wordpress.com/

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

What happens when creatives stop competing with each other — and start building together?

In this episode of The Back Office, Dalayna Dillon sits down with photographers and entrepreneurs Courtni Miller and Mekala Stiek, co-founders of The Called & Creative, to talk about community, creativity, and building the kind of support system they wish they would’ve had when they first started their businesses.

As independent photographers and business owners, Courtni and Mekala know firsthand how isolating and competitive the creative industry can feel. That experience led them to create The Called & Creative — a photography education and community platform designed to equip, encourage, and connect photographers, especially women navigating the early stages of business.

This conversation dives into the realities of creative entrepreneurship, the emotional side of comparison and competition, and why collaboration often creates more growth than guarding information ever could.

They also share the vision behind their podcast, their upcoming educational course for wedding photographers, and the lessons they’ve learned while building businesses rooted in both creativity and community.

If you’re a creative, service provider, or entrepreneur trying to build something meaningful while finding your place in a crowded industry, this episode will encourage you to keep going — and remind you that you don’t have to build alone.

No one has it fully figured out. But we’re building anyway.

Show Notes
Guests: Courtni Miller & Mekala Stiek
 Businesses:
 • The Called & Creative
 • Miller Image & Motion
 • Till the Dawn Photo Co.
Courtni Miller and Mekala Stiek are photographers, entrepreneurs, and co-founders of The Called & Creative, a photography education and community platform created to support photographers through mentorship, education, and connection.

In addition to running their own successful photography businesses — Miller Image & Motion and Till the Dawn Photo Co. — the two launched The Called & Creative as a way to create the kind of community and educational resources they felt were missing when they first entered the industry.
Together, they host The Called & Creative Photography Podcast and are currently developing an educational course for photographers interested in entering the wedding industry.

Their mission is centered around helping creatives grow with confidence, community, and clarity.

Find them online at:
Till the Dawn Photo Co.
Website: https://book.usesession.com/i/eJyEVwOVnM
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tillthedawnphotoco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tillthedawnphotoco/

Miller Image & Motion
Website: https://millerimageandmotion.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/millerimageandmotion/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/millerimageandmotion/

The Called & Creative
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/calledandcreativeeducation/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calledandcreativeeducation/

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

What does year one of business actually teach you?

In this episode of The Back Office, Dalayna Dillon sits down with Paul Stansberry, owner of PLS Balance My Books, for an honest conversation about the realities of building a business from the ground up.

From branding and pricing to systems, technology, and relationships, Paul shares the lessons learned during the first year of entrepreneurship — including the mistakes, pivots, and mindset shifts that shaped the business along the way.

This conversation goes beyond bookkeeping. It’s about what happens when theory meets reality. What starts to matter. What stops mattering. And how small business owners learn to navigate uncertainty while trying to build something sustainable.

Together, Dalayna and Paul unpack:

• Why relationships outperformed advertising
• The costly lessons of underpricing
• How systems and technology impact growth
• The emotional pressure of entrepreneurship
• Why adaptability matters more than perfection

This episode is packed with practical insight for business owners in any stage — especially those navigating the early years of building.

No one has it fully figured out.
 But we’re building anyway.

Show Notes

Guest: Paul Stansberry
Business: PLS Balance My Books

Paul Stansberry is the owner of PLS Balance My Books, a bookkeeping and business support company focused on helping small businesses build stronger financial systems and operate with greater clarity.

After launching the business with a focus on trust, communication, and community, Paul quickly learned that year one of entrepreneurship tests far more than technical skill. Through real-world experience, he gained insight into branding, pricing, client relationships, systems, and the emotional realities that come with building a business from scratch.

This episode highlights the lessons learned during the first year of business ownership and offers practical wisdom for entrepreneurs navigating growth, uncertainty, and decision-making.

In This Episode, We Discuss

• Why Paul decided to launch PLS Balance My Books
 • The importance of starting with purpose and strategy
 • Why branding matters more than small businesses think
 • The difference between branding and advertising
 • How relationships outperformed paid advertising in year one
 • Why networking and community involvement mattered
 • Technology and systems as a growth strategy
 • Simplifying software and maximizing existing tools
 • How AI is changing business operations and strategy
 • The hard lessons learned from underpricing services
 • Scope creep and profitability challenges
 • Pricing for value instead of effort
 • Mistakes made during year one of business
 • The emotional side of entrepreneurship and impostor syndrome
 • The pressure of uncertainty and wearing multiple hats
 • What resilience actually looks like in business
 • Advice for entrepreneurs navigating year one

Find them online at:

Website: https://www.plsbalancemybooks.com/

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plsbalancemybooks

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

What if organization wasn’t just about cleaning up a space — but creating clarity in someone’s life?

In this episode of The Back Office, Dalayna Dillon sits down with Britian Augustine, owner of Sort’N Thru It and founder of The Giving Room, to explore what it looks like to build a service-based business rooted in both transformation and impact.

Britian shares how her passion for decluttering and organization evolved into a growing business, and how her work extends far beyond aesthetics. Through her experience working inside clients’ homes, she’s seen firsthand how physical spaces often reflect deeper emotional and mental patterns — and how intentional organization can create a sense of calm, control, and forward movement.

The conversation also dives into the story behind The Giving Room, a nonprofit created to support individuals and families rebuilding their lives after difficult circumstances. From recovery to domestic transitions, Britian’s work is helping turn empty spaces into environments that feel safe, welcoming, and full of possibility.

This episode explores the intersection of business, purpose, and community — and what it means to build something that serves people in a meaningful way.

No one has it fully figured out.
 But we’re building anyway.

Show Notes

Guest: Britian Augustine
Business: Sort’N Thru It
Nonprofit: The Giving Room
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Britian Augustine is a professional organizer and business owner based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Since launching Sort’N Thru It in 2021, she has helped individuals and families transform their homes into functional, organized spaces designed to support everyday life.

Through her work, Britian has developed a deep understanding of how clutter, organization, and environment impact not just physical space, but emotional well-being and daily routines.

In addition to her business, Britian is the founder of The Giving Room, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals and families transitioning out of difficult circumstances. The organization provides furniture, household essentials, and thoughtfully designed spaces to help people rebuild their lives with dignity and stability.

Find her online at:

https://www.sortnthruit.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SortNThruIt/

https://www.instagram.com/sortnthruit/ 

https://givingroomministries.com/

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

What is marketing… really?

In this Strategy Session episode of The Back Office, Dalayna Dillon sits down with marketing professional Brad Buchert to unpack one of the most misunderstood concepts in business.

Because marketing is not just social media.
 It’s not just ads.
 And it’s definitely not just posting content.

Strong marketing is the alignment of messaging, positioning, branding, customer experience, communication, trust, and strategy — all working together toward a specific goal.

Throughout the conversation, Dalayna and Brad break down why so many businesses struggle with marketing, the difference between tactics and strategy, and why marketing problems are often actually operational problems in disguise.

They also discuss:

• Why social media is only one piece of the puzzle
• How marketing has evolved over the last several years
• Why businesses chase tactics instead of building strategy
• What strong marketing actually looks like
• And how businesses can simplify and strengthen their marketing approach

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, frustrated, or confused by marketing, this episode brings clarity to the conversation.

Because the goal isn’t to do everything.

It’s to communicate the right thing clearly and consistently.

No one has it fully figured out.
 But we’re building anyway.

Show Notes

Hosts: Dalayna Dillon & Brad Buchert

This month’s Strategy Session focuses on one of the most common — and most misunderstood — questions in business:

What is marketing?

Drawing from years of experience in branding, communication, strategy, and business growth, Dalayna and Brad unpack the misconceptions surrounding modern marketing and explain why effective marketing is much deeper than social media content or advertising campaigns.

This episode challenges business owners to think beyond tactics and begin viewing marketing as a complete ecosystem made up of communication, trust, positioning, customer experience, and intentional strategy.

Whether you’re a business owner, creative, entrepreneur, or marketer yourself, this conversation will help simplify marketing and provide a stronger framework for understanding how effective businesses actually grow.

In This Episode, We Discuss

• Why marketing is so misunderstood

• The difference between marketing, advertising, branding, and sales

• Why social media is not the same as marketing

• Marketing as communication and trust-building

• Why businesses often blame marketing for operational issues

• The difference between tactics and strategy

• Why businesses chase trends and platforms

• What makes marketing effective long-term

• How marketing has changed over the last 5 years

• Principles that still matter regardless of platform

• Why consistency still matters in modern marketing

• The relationship between customer experience and marketing

• What strong, aligned marketing actually looks like

• Questions every business should ask before creating content

About Strategy Sessions

Strategy Sessions are monthly episodes of The Back Office focused on deeper conversations around marketing, leadership, communication, business growth, and strategic decision-making.

These episodes are designed to help business owners think more clearly and build more intentionally.

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

This month marks 5 years of Signify Marketing. So for this special bonus episode of The Back Office, we’re flipping the script. Instead of asking the questions, Dalayna Dillon sits in the guest seat as Danette Dillon leads a conversation reflecting on the realities of building a business over the last five years — the wins, the pivots, the failures, the lessons, and the things entrepreneurship teaches you that no one can fully prepare you for.

This isn’t a polished “success story” conversation. It’s an honest look at what it actually takes to keep building.

Throughout the episode, Dalayna shares:
- What surprised her most about entrepreneurship
- The hard lessons that shaped Signify Marketing
- What didn’t work the way she expected
- How marketing has changed over the last five years
The emotional realities of leadership and business ownership

This conversation is reflective, strategic, and deeply honest — especially for business owners navigating uncertainty, pressure, and the constant process of learning while building. Because behind every business is a person trying to figure it out in real time.
No one has it fully figured out.
 But we’re building anyway.

Show Notes
Guest: Dalayna Dillon
Host: Danette Dillon
Business: Signify Marketing
Dalayna Dillon is the founder and creative director of Signify Marketing, a marketing and strategy company focused on helping businesses grow through intentional communication, branding, content strategy, and relationship-driven marketing.

Over the last five years, Signify has worked alongside businesses across multiple industries, helping organizations strengthen their visibility, messaging, marketing systems, and community impact.

In this special bonus episode celebrating Signify Marketing’s 5-year anniversary, Dalayna reflects on the realities of entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, and the lessons learned through building a business over the last half decade.

In This Episode, We Discuss
• Why Dalayna started Signify Marketing
 • What entrepreneurship looked like in the early days
 • Expectations vs reality in business ownership
 • What surprised her most over the last 5 years
 • The principles that still matter regardless of changing tactics
 • Hard seasons, setbacks, and lessons learned
 • What didn’t work the way she expected
 • The most rewarding part of helping businesses grow
 • What the future of Signify Marketing looks like

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

Why does hiring feel harder than it’s ever been?

In this episode of The Back Office, Dalayna Dillon sits down with Carrie Corcoran, founder of Unbreakable Light and a leading voice in employer branding and talent strategy, to unpack one of the most pressing challenges facing businesses today — attracting and retaining the right people.

Carrie brings a powerful perspective to the conversation, combining her experience as a keynote speaker, consultant, and communicator with her deep understanding of leadership and organizational culture. Together, they explore why traditional approaches to hiring are no longer working, and what businesses must do differently to build teams that last.

This conversation goes beyond job descriptions and compensation. It challenges the way businesses think about leadership, communication, and the experience they create for employees — both inside and outside the organization.

From the role of employer branding to the expectations of today’s workforce, this episode offers a clear look at what it actually takes to build a team that is aligned, engaged, and committed.

If you’re a business owner, leader, or operator navigating growth, this conversation will reshape the way you think about hiring and retention.

No one has it fully figured out.
 But we’re building anyway.

Show Notes

Guest: Carrie Corcoran
Business: Unbreakable Light
Focus: Employer Branding, Leadership, Talent Strategy

Carrie Corcoran is a keynote speaker, consultant, and founder of Unbreakable Light, where she works with businesses to strengthen their internal culture and improve their ability to attract and retain high-quality talent.

Through her work, Carrie helps organizations understand how their brand, leadership, and communication directly impact their ability to build strong teams. She is known for her ability to challenge assumptions, inspire change, and bring clarity to complex organizational challenges.

Her approach emphasizes the importance of authenticity, alignment, and intentional leadership in creating workplaces where people want to stay and grow.

Find her online: 

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/globalkeynotespeaker/?skipRedirect=true

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@carriecaresunbreakablelight 

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

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

What does it really take to turn something you love into something that lasts?

In this episode of The Back Office, I sit down with Alexandra Coppinger, co-owner of Common Tart—a Tulsa-based pie shop she built alongside her mom. What started as a shared love for baking turned into a leap of faith in 2020… and has grown into a brand known not just for its pies, but for the feeling it creates.

We talk about the realities behind the scenes—what changes when your passion becomes your business, how to stay true to your brand, and what it actually looks like to build something meaningful with family.

This conversation is honest, thoughtful, and full of lessons for anyone who’s ever felt the pull to create something of their own.

Show Notes

Alexandra Coppinger
Co-Owner, Common Tart (Tulsa, OK)
Mother-daughter pie shop focused on creating warmth, comfort, and connection through baking.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• The story behind Common Tart and launching in 2020
• Turning a passion into a sustainable business
• How to protect the joy of what you love
• Building a brand that feels like something
• The realities of working with family
• Lessons learned through risk, growth, and uncertainty
• Defining success beyond just expansion
• What it looks like to keep building—even without all the answers

Connect with Common Tart:

📍1717 E. 17th St., Tulsa, OK, United States, 74104

https://www.commontart.com/
https://www.facebook.com/commontart

https://www.instagram.com/commontart 

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

What happens when you see a problem in your industry — and decide to build a solution instead of accepting it?

In this episode of The Back Office, Dalayna Dillon sits down with Elliot Mooney, founder of Mooney Cardiac Screening, to explore what it looks like to build a mission-driven business rooted in accessibility, affordability, and real-world need.

After years working in healthcare, Elliot saw firsthand the challenges patients face — from rising costs to lack of insurance coverage to the fear and inconvenience associated with traditional medical settings. Those experiences led him to create a different kind of solution: a mobile cardiac screening service that brings testing directly to patients, removing barriers and making preventative care more accessible.

This conversation dives into the realities of launching a business in the healthcare space, the risks involved in challenging traditional systems, and the discipline required to build something that prioritizes both impact and sustainability.

At its core, this episode is about seeing clearly — identifying a gap, trusting your perspective, and taking action to create something better.

No one has it fully figured out.
But we’re building anyway.

Show Notes

Guest: Elliot Mooney
Business: Mooney Cardiac Screening
Industry: Healthcare / Preventative Care

Elliot Mooney is the founder of Mooney Cardiac Screening, a mobile healthcare business focused on providing accessible, affordable cardiac testing directly to patients.

With a background in healthcare and experience working in various facilities across the country, Elliot developed a deep understanding of the barriers many patients face when it comes to receiving care — including cost, lack of insurance, and discomfort with clinical environments.

Mooney Cardiac Screening was created to address those challenges by offering convenient, in-home testing designed to give patients a clearer picture of their heart health without the need for insurance or traditional hospital visits.

Elliot’s work is centered on prevention, accessibility, and creating solutions that meet people where they are.

Find them online:

https://mooneycardiacscree.wixsite.com/mooneycardiacscreeni

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573167891390

https://www.instagram.com/mooneycardiacscreening?igsh=MTBkNmpkcmkwaTZ4dw%3D%3D 

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

In this episode of The Back Office, Dalayna Dillon is joined by photographer and business owner Traci Baker in a slightly different format — a strategy session designed to help business owners think more strategically about their marketing.

Instead of reacting to trends, posting randomly, or chasing visibility, this conversation walks through a simple four-part framework for making intentional marketing decisions. Together, Dalayna and Traci unpack the difference between reactive marketing and strategic marketing, using real examples from service-based businesses to show how clarity, messaging, and customer experience all work together.

If your marketing has ever felt scattered, inconsistent, or overwhelming, this conversation will help you reset your approach.

No one has it fully figured out. But we’re building anyway.

Show Notes

Host: Dalayna Dillon, Signify Marketing
Guest Co-Host: Traci Baker, Traci Baker Photography
Topic: Strategic Marketing vs Reactive Marketing

This episode introduces a new style of conversation on The Back Office — a collaborative, practical discussion focused on the real decisions behind running and marketing a business.

Joined by photographer and entrepreneur Traci Baker, Dalayna walks through a four-step framework used to guide marketing strategy and eliminate guesswork. Drawing from real client experiences and day-to-day business operations, the conversation highlights how clarity around goals, customer behavior, and messaging leads to stronger marketing outcomes.

The Framework: A Guide for Strategic Marketing Decisions

1. What is the actual objective?
 Not more visibility.
 Not more engagement.

What outcome matters right now?

If the objective isn’t clear, the marketing will feel scattered.

2. Where is the friction in the customer journey?

If people are discovering you but not converting, the issue may be trust or clarity.

If people inquire but don’t buy, the issue may be positioning, offer structure, or pricing communication.

If people buy once but never return, the issue may be experience or retention.

Marketing should solve specific friction — not create noise.

3. What message actually moves someone forward?

At this stage, the question becomes:

What does the audience need to understand before they’re ready to act?

That might be:
 • Education about the problem
 • Proof that the solution works
 • Clarity around the process
 • Confidence in the result

The best marketing removes uncertainty.

4. What format best delivers that message?

Now you decide the tactic.

Maybe that’s:
 • Short-form video
 • A client story
 • A breakdown of the process
 • A myth vs. truth post
 • A behind-the-scenes explanation

Content format should serve the message — not the other way around.

Find Traci:

Facebook | Instagram | Website

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social