Reina and Christina are joined today by Haley Burkhead of Market Beautifully. Haley is a Marketing Strategist and she helps entrepreneurs map out where their marketing can take them. As we dive into the episode, Haley jumps in to talk about how sytems and processes can be the foundation of your business. She shares how Asana can help with projects and the flow should look like this: evaluation, projects and brain dump, then due dates, then action. The trio chat about what a "normal" day looks like for Haley and she shares that ConvertKit should be the first automation tool to start with. Lastly, Haley chats about what projects are next for her and how to stay productive as a business owner.

• How strategy + systems can become the foundation of your business [0:03:29]
• What some productivity tips are + hacks for Asana [0:05:17]
• Why to be consistent with Asana or Trello [0:14:21]
• What a normal day looks like for her + being an extrovert [0:16:25]
• How automation makes her business easier [0:19:55]
• What systems to start with for automation [0:22:01] 
• Why you need to listen to your audience [0:25:03]
• What the new "90-day profit lounge" will be + writing a book [0:30:30]
• How she stays productive [0:33:42]

• Radiant CEO Summit
• The Contract Shop
• Asana Basics free course
• Convert Kit
• Social Glue Sessions
• Oprah

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I'm Haley, a marketing stylist that works with lady entrepreneurs through my programs and services so that they can create sales on autopilot through authentic marketing strategies. I have been in the entrepreneur realm for 6 years now and recently founded Market Beautifully two years ago which people also associate with the Market Beautifully podcast I host every Monday. We focus on conversion, strategy, and scaling the beautiful business every lady has poured their heart and soul into.

• Website
• Market Beautifully Podcast
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• Twitter
• YouTube

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Today, Christina and Reina are joined with second time guest Shanna Skidmore. At the beginning of the episode we dive right into the decision Shanna made to leave social media and how it has affected her. She shares about the scary side of silence in your business and how to market more effectively in your business. Lastly, she talks about her signature model, the Blueprint Model.

• How getting off of social media has affected her [0:01:05]
• How it was going from saturation to silence + the transition [0:06:03]
• What to focus on if you do not have a huge community [0:13:14]
• Why to find out who your audience is + where are they hanging out [0:15:55]
• What the best ways are to market your business [0:21:15]
• Who is your "power of one" - meaning who are you serving [0:23:06]
• What are the foundations to be focusing on [0:28:38]
• What her Blueprint Model Program is + who it is geared for [0:38:26]

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• The Power of One
• Jeff Goins - His Creative Empire Episode
• Jenna Kutcher
• Shay Cochrane
• Mary Marantz
• CEP Code for Shanna
• The Blueprint Shop
• #bringingbackbasics Workshop

• Focus Finder Quiz

Shanna Skidmore is a business strategist and financial coach. Nicknamed the “dream-releaser” by her clients, she helps entrepreneurs make money doing what they love by building profitable & sustainable businesses. For the past 10 years she has been immersed in the world of small business development and finance. By studying patterns of success, she now coaches and consults with creative entrepreneurs on business principles she found to be key indicators of success. Her background in finance, psychology and art, have allowed her to marry the world of business and creativity. Her greatest joy is watching others transform their stories and build businesses & lives they love!

Website
Pinterest

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This jam session episode features Reina and Christina chatting about a different way to ring in the new year. In this episode they chat about their hopes and desires for 2018 and failures from 2017.

• What 2018 Creative Empire is going to look like [0:03:34]
• Where Reina is at with her goals from 2017 [0:04:20]
• Where Christina was in 2017 [0:05:29]
• How Christina traveled all over in 2017 + stress of work while traveling [0:11:15]
• What travelling to Japan was like for Reina [0:13:25]
• How Reina's personal challenges has impacted her business [0:14:15]
• What their favorite memories have been so far [0:19:28]
• What Reina's goals for 2018 are [0:25:23]
• What are Christina's goals for 2018 + potential projects [0:27:27]
• What Reina is planning for 2018 [0:36:30]
• What they both have learned in 2017 [0:45:07]
• What success in 2018 will look like for both of them in 2018 [0:49:38]

• Reina and Co
• The Contract Shop
• Mariah Coz of Femtreprenuer
• Jeff Goins - His Creative Empire Episode
• Mary and Justin Marantz - Their Creative Empire Episode
• CEP Entrepreneur Feature
• Brene Brown
• Micheal Dubin - Dollar Shave Club
• Kurt Elster - His Creative Empire Episode
• Haley Burkhead - Market Beautifully Podcast - Episode with Christina
• Gary Vee
• Gabby Bernstein - May Cause Miracles
• Ashley Blatt - Her Creative Empire Episode 
• Ryan Hildebrandt - His Creative Empire Podcast
• Big Plan for the Creative Mind

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Today, Reina and Christina are chatting with Ryan Hildebrandt, the face behind getyourfirsttedtalk.com. He founded a TED Talks event (TEDxLeamingtonSpa) in 2015, so he knows the ins and outs of what event decision makers want, how they choose speakers and the mistakes people make most often. The first thing Ryan dives into is how he became a TEDx organizer and the differeces of TED versus TEDx. He shares about the application process and shares helpful tips if you are thinking to apply to be a speaker. Lastly, he share why you should choose to be a speaker at a TED or TEDx event.

• How Ryan got started as a TEDx organizer [0:02:21]
• What the difference is between TED vs. TEDx [0:04:35]
• What the application process looks like for TED + TEDx [0:08:19]
• Why women should apply to be a TED +TEDWomen speaker [0:10:42]
• What is a good or bad topic to pitch [0:18:15]
• What the four things are to have a good talk [0:28:00]
• What are some pro-tips for a TED application [0:33:47]
• Why you should do a TED talk [0:42:46]

• Adele
• TEDx Application for Events
• TEDGlobal, TEDWomen, TED and TEDYouth
• Brené Brown - TEDx Houston
• Simon Sinek - TEDx Puget Sound
• getyourfirsttedtalk.com/topic
• Kate Simonds - I’m 17 TED talk
• Toastmasters
• Lord of the Rings
• Tim Ferriss - TED talk
• Chris Anderson the head of TED
• getyourfirsttedtalk.com/events
• getyourfirsttedtalk.com/topic

If you’ve dreamed of doing a TED Talk one day but aren’t quite sure how to get there, Ryan’s your guy. He founded a TED Talks event (TEDxLeamingtonSpa) in 2015, so he knows the ins and outs of what event decision makers want, how they choose speakers and the mistakes people make most often. Now, he shares these insider tips on how to get invited to do a TED Talk on a site called GetYourFirstTEDTalk.com. Fun fact: Ryan can be manipulated into doing almost anything if you give him peanut butter, Argentinian Malbec, or carrot cake.

Get Your First Ted Talk Website
Ryan's Website
 

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Joining Reina and Christina today is founder of Steadfast Bookkeeping Co, Stephanie Thacker. Today we are talking all about the in's-and-out's of bookkeeping as a small business owner. Stephanie jumps right in by talking about how she came to be a bookkeeper for creatives and the unique challenges she sees that creatives face. The trio discuss the "feast and famine" mindset and she shares how to overcome that with budgeting. She shares tips for budgeting. Lastly, she chats about her process and the nitty-gritty of bookkeeping, like not mixing your personal and business funds.

• How Steadfast Bookkeeping started + how she became a bookkeeper for Creatives [0:02:13]
• What some unique challenges for creative business owners are [0:04:14]
• How to step out of the feast and famine mindset [0:07:34]
• Why budgeting is so critical as business owner [0:13:28]
• How to look at the value as a return on investment (ROI) [0:18:59]
• Why her process is seamless + hiccups along the way [0:29:15]
• Why you should not mix personal funds with business funds [0:34:38]
• What is a business expense + saving receipts [0:38:12]
• How to protect yourself for audits [0:42:32]

• Steadfast Bookkeeping
• Shoeboxed
• Heather Crabtree - Streamline with Systems
• Amy Northard, CPA
• Drisa of DACAdvisory
• 90 Day Year Live in San Diego
• Creative Entrepreneur’s Bookkeeping Guide

Stephanie Thacker is an all around Florida girl who loves being outdoors. Born and raised in Florida, she can’t imagine being anywhere else. Spending the day at the beach with her husband and daughter is her absolute favorite thing to do. She’s also very active in her local church and enjoys leading women in ministry there. She is the founder of Steadfast Bookkeeping Co. which she started in 2011. Steadfast exists to empower small business owners to run the business of their dreams while feeling confident and secure that all financial aspects are handled and your records are being cared for. They offer full service monthly bookkeeping support as well as monthly consulting and general bookkeeping education.

• Website
• Instagram

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Today, Christina and Reina are joined with Jesi Parker Ekonen for an Empire Mentoring Session. Jesi is a designer from Michigan and the owner behind Just Follow Your Art gift shop. The trio dive head first into what Jesi is currently working on and talk about what type of content she is creating. They talk about showcasing and leading with value as a business owner. They then discuss how to pre-validate ideas if you are a product based shop and your not sure which direction to head. Lastly they discuss goals and the importance of having one as a product based business.

• How to behind a sales goal + black Friday talk [0:03:52]
• How content is being pushed out + type of content [0:10:09]
• What showcasing your value can look like [0:12:34]
• Why you need a unique value proposition [0:17:53]
• How values can make you stand out [0:19:14]
• How digital downloads can help pre-validate ideas [0:21:39]
• Why you should watch other seller when you are first starting + testing ideas [0:27:01]
• Why a product based businesses need to set goals [0:29:47]

• Jenni Waldrop of Fuzzy & Birch - Her Creative Empire Episode
• Shanna Skidmore - Her Creative Empire Episode
• Jonah Berger's book - Contagious
• Target
• Dannie Fountain - Her Creative Empire Episode
• Anthropologie
• Janet of Janet Gwen Designs - Her Creative Empire Episode

Jesi Ekonen is the MI designer and owner of Just Follow Your Art gift shop. Just Follow Your Art is home to pretty & witty hand lettered gifts and decor. Jesi's art is sometimes inspirational, often relatable, and always paired best with a cocktail. Feel good about your purchase- a portion of all proceeds are donated to a cause near and dear to the artist. Cheers!

• Website
• Etsy
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter

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Today, Christina and Reina are joined by Morgan Montgomery who owns Paisley & Jade which is a vintage and specialty rental company out of Virgina. Morgan jumps right in talking about how her and her co-founder began their business. She discusses how they set up systems, procedures, and processes which helped them as they grew. The trio chat about finding the right clients and asking for feedback. Lastly, Morgan shares a bit about the company culture and how a team can be a great asset.

• How she began Paisley & Jade [0:01:28]
• How they set up their business when they first started + systems [0:05:45]
• Why procedures + processes help you integrate core values into everything [0:10:46]
• What she would have done differently earlier on [0:17:12]
• What some tips are for finding the right clients [0:23:42]
• How to ask for honest feedback [0:25:58]
• Why processes can turn into sales tools [0:31:08]
• How they are changing their branding [0:32:45]
• Why they have see growth this year + are having their busiest month yet [0:36:27]
• What the internal culture looks like + "weird chicken" [0:37:43]
• How the team culture can be so exciting [0:40:28]

• IKEA
• School of Styling

Bio:

A New England native, Virginia resident, and lover of all things modern, clean-lined and loud, Morgan discovered her passion for unique and vintage finds as she designed and propped shows while working towards her B.A. in Theatre from The College of the Holy Cross.  With years of sales and customer service experience behind her, she spent three years in the trenches of the off-premise catering world before co-launching Paisley & Jade, a specialty rental company serving the Mid-Atlantic, in 2012.  Morgan’s passion for business and events extends beyond the walls of P&J, and she loves to share her knowledge through the Paisley & Jade specialty rental coaching program and by speaking at national conferences such as NACE Experience, Lend & Gather, and The School of Styling.  An active member of NACE on the local and national level, she is a past president of her local chapter and also currently serves on the NACE National Board of Directors as the Treasurer. Morgan’s personal and professional work has been featured extensively in national and regional publications, including Southern Weddings, Richmond Magazine, Sage Wedding Pros and The Huffington Post.

Social Handles:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

Joining Reina and Christina today is Michelle Khori. Michelle is an arts and culture writer and the host of The Cultured Podcast. From the beginning the trio dive right in to chatting about Michelle's business and how she started her podcast. She shares tips on how to write your own bio and reflects on how bullying has impacted her and her business. Michelle shares about her consulting business, plus lots of helpful tips for new business owners.

• How she helps people tease out their stories [0:04:44]
• What her tip is for helping you write a bio [0:08:25]
• How bullying has impacted her business [0:10:15]
• Why she created The Cultured Podcast [0:14:07]
• How she reaches her target demographic and audience [0:16:22]
• What her consulting business can do for your business + results [0:19:56]
• How to maximize client experiences [0:28:42]
• What a consultant vs a team member feels like [0:30:19]
• How to set effective boundaries [0:32:33]
• What combating burnout can look like [0:38:11]

• The Cultured Podcast
• Apple - Steve Jobs
• Brene Brown - Braving the Wilderness
• AdWords
• Emily Hirsch - FB Ads
• Jenna Kutcher

Bio:

Michelle Khouri is an arts and culture writer and the host of The Cultured Podcast, a weekly show that unearths intriguing perspectives in art, theatre, travel, design and literature while digging at the roots of what inspires us. Aside from her work as a storyteller, Michelle helps businesses bring their narratives to life as a branding and content development consultant. Visit www.michellekhouri.com to learn more about her consulting work and www.culturepodcast.com to get your weekly dose of culture.

Social Handles:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• The Cultured Podcast Website
• The Cultured Podcast Facebook
• The Cultured Podcast Twitter

Joining Reina and Christina today is a big influencer in the creative community, Jessica Rodriguez, who is a business and visibility strategist. She is also the host of the #daydreamachievers podcast and movement, which serves purpose-driven women and helps them scale their online business from four-figure months to six-figure years. The trio start the episode by talking with Jessica about how she started her business and how it has transformed many times. Jessica gives us lots of reasons and actionable tips about finding clarity in in your business. The conversation is then shifted into funnels and how you find what people need, to help your own business. In the end, Jessica shares her tool to map out funnels for you. 

Main Takeaways:

• How entrepreneurship started for her [0:01:33]
• What some of the limiting beliefs in this creative industry are [0:06:40]
• How being aware of your weaknesses can help your business [0:09:45]
• Why you have to get clear before you brand + spending money [0:12:10]
• What going towards your goal looks like with Jessica [0:17:03]
• Why you have to change your mindset to shift your business [0:19:24]
• What are Click Funnels are + how they can grow your business [0:21:20]
• How to really start selling + finding out what people need [0:29:42]
• What some tools are to map out funnels [0:35:45]

Show Notes:

• B-School - Marie Forleo
• Russell Brunson - ClickFunnels
• Jessica's Funnel Template

Bio:

Jessica Rodriguez is a Business and Visibility Strategist, Podcast Host, and founder of the #daydreamachievers™ movement - serving purpose-driven women scale their online business from four figure months to six figure years, without compromising the life they truly want in order to do so. Within the first year of her business, she went from working 4 jobs and carrying $120k worth of debt to replacing her income to become a full-time lifestyle entrepreneur along with becoming completely consumer debt free just a few years later. Through her 1:1 work and her Achievers Circle membership community, she has committed herself to helping women create their own freedoms in life - both personally and financially. When she’s not helping people create massive growth in their online business, you can find her curled up on the couch with her husband and furbabies Netflix binging or traveling to the next adventure life brings. Jessica can be found at thedaydreamachiever.com.

Social Handles:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest

Joining Reina and Christina is Shelley Cohen of From Shelley with Love. Shelley is a personal stylist and interior designer, plus has an amazing blog! The trip dive into the conversation by talking about what clothes the wear at home while they work and why you should be showing up for yourself. Shelley explains that you may not feel like you need to get dress, doing it will actually make you feel better. She shares tips to help us get ready in the morning, like cleansing your closet, as well as shifting you mindset and straying from negative self-talk. In the end she chats about why we should wrap ourselves in clothes we love and re-frame how we think about ourselves. 

Main Takeaways:

• Why you should be dressing for your stay at home career (0:02:15)
• What showing up for yourself means (0:05:30)
• How you just have to fake it until you make it to feel better (0:13:34)
• How to identify negative self-talk + shifting that (0:18:14)
• What some tips are to help you get ready in the morning (0:21:55)
• Why you need to evaluate + start a morning routine (0:24:17)
• Why to spend time in the "today" (0:30:35)
• Why you should wrap yourself in clothes you love (0:36:51)
• How to re-frame how to feel about yourself ( 0:39:05)

Show Notes:

• Lisa Carpenter
• Adrienne Dorison
• Denise Sheffield Thomas
• Revivify
• Casey Erin Wood
• Alex Honeysett
• Her Closet Cleanse Link

Bio:

Shelley Cohen is a personal stylist & interior designer who helps big-hearted girl bosses style themselves and their spaces for maximum creativity, energy & confidence! From closet cleanses (that are wayyyy more fun than juice cleanses, BTW), to picking out the coolest outfits for an upcoming event or conference, to giving your home office a sparkly makeover (from anywhere in the world!), Shelley will wield her magic style wand and have you saying “OMG - I can’t believe this is me!" Learn more at fromshelleywithlove.com

Social Handles:

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Instagram
• Pinterest