The Blank Slate Podcast

On today's episode we talk to Daleele Alison, CEO, RooksDM, about the etiology of "Rooks," which in the Amharic language means "to go far," and how RooksDM wants to take people further than they're going today, helping businesses drive efficiency by leveraging tech to do as much they can, flying the plane as you're building it, curiosity, passion, reflection (and the importance of dissecting the situation when things don't work out), and how wearing all the hats is the most draining thing as a small business owner.  

On today's episode we talk to Spider, Owner + Photographer, SpiderMeka Portraits, LLC, about how doing portraiture is like being a heart surgeon and that she gets to help people look inwardly, that what she's doing is important, that it's her joy, she's transforming lives, people can feel things and see themselves in ways they haven't in years, the work fills her up, it is her service and it's an amazing gift, though also how acceptance is a giant part of what she does, it's a giant part of personal branding, that fixation is vanity, and that it isn't our fault that we don't accept how we look, but if we can be happy with what we see, we can do more good in the world.

On today's episode we talk to Audrey Hutnick, Founder + CEO, Smallwave Marketing, about offering a pay what you can model, working with expectant mothers, when a focus on age may mean a potential client is probably not a good fit, and how firing a client can be necessary and rewarding, the relationship between Hutnick's work ethic and her nonprofit experience, as well as learning from one's experiences going forward and Brené Brown's concept of FFT, or the F'ing First Time, providing custom strategy and not a cookie cutter approach, and her recent experience living nomadically, and following the sun.

On today's episode we talk to Stephanie M. Sexauer, Attorney and Founder, Sexauer Law, about how all bossy children are told they ought to be lawyers some day, myths about estate planning, the importance of giving homage to our ancestors, asking yourself what your plan is for when you're no longer available to the work, because the biggest mistake of all entrepreneurs is the belief that whatever they do can only be done by them, and how people come to Stephanie because they're uncertain and in a vulnerable place, and she's looking to help them.

On today's episode we talk to Susan Bryant, CPA, CTC, Principal, The MB Group LLC, about so much smart stuff related to effective accounting, though in particular, the importance of finding someone who is more interested in the future than they are in the past, as well as the importance of recognizing when we don't have the skills to take our business to the next level, and asking how do I scale and grow my business, Bryant's belief that communication is the key to setting expectations, her recipe for success, which includes: accounting, solid tax planning and strategy, and much, much more.

We're back, and on today's episode we talk to Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, CFF, Forensic Accountant & Fraud Investigator, Sequence, Inc. about how when it comes to divorce, everyone knows there is a problem, they just don't know there's a solution as well (as well as how disturbing Coenen finds watching people get taken in divorce), her hatred of billable hours, because she doesn't want to sell her time, she wants to sell a result, looking for patterns and asking where did the money go, and most especially, drum roll please...Coenen's creation of the Divorce Money Guide, her desire for the guide to make forensic accounting accessible, and how she's playing the super long game in the marketing of the guide (including appearing on podcasts like ours and maybe yours too).

On today's episode we talk to Dr. Lakeya Cherry, Evolution Partner, Executive Coach, Dare to Lead™ and #IAmRemarkable facilitator, Chief Executive Officer, Entrepreneur (and so much more) about taking risks, understanding your core values, and those of your business, the four skill sets of courage, which includes vulnerability (and we talk a lot about being vulnerable), normalizing fear, hustle, knowing what matters to you and how coaches don't give advice. 

On today's episode we talk to Kristin Hull, Ph.D., Founder, CEO & CIO of Nia Impact Capital about building a just and sustainable economy, focusing on renewable solutions, the belief that the status quo in business is not going to get us where we're going, the need to step into the shoes of your employees, and how being an investor is not only a right and a responsibility, but the importance of using the investor voice to make change.

On today's episode we talk to Craig Stanley, Founder & CEO of Broadwing Advisors, LLC about the journey he's been on, how everything that's baked into real estate is baked into HR, that any great practitioner (of anything) thinks first and foremost about what the client needs, the importance of rethinking, reusing and revisiting our ideas about space and hybrid work culture during (and following) the pandemic and Jim Courier, of course.

On today's episode we talk to Michael Liss, Business & Franchise Attorney and Counselor at Law at FRANLAW®: Liss & Lamar, P.C. on what to look for in a franchisor and the misconceptions about opening franchises, why one has to know what they're looking for, what a good day looks like to them and how they avoid falling into the abyss, as well as the idea that maybe you need to be a little different to open a franchise.