Hi friend! Welcome back to another episode of the Empower Her Podcast.  I’ve followed Brooke Talsma of Brooke MT Interiors on Instagram for awhile and just recently got to chat in person. We’re fortunate to have her here in Iowa, although she works with clients all over the United States. Key Takeaways

• Brooke started as a radiology major before transferring to Kirkwood for Interior Design. Although she loved working with her dad, a home builder, she had never considered interior design as a career. It was her dad who encouraged her to try.
• From her first position as an intern, Brooke worked her way up to her own business, Brooke MT Interiors eight years ago.
• Although she loves her career, she says it’s not all fun and games. Her biggest challenge is not being confident enough and knowing when to say no.
• Brooke loves online platforms like Pinterest and Instagram. Her favorite accounts to follow are Lindye Galloway (@lindyegalloway), Light and Dwell (@lightanddwell), and Studio McGee (@studiomcgee).

Connect with Brooke Brooke has a gorgeous Instagram (@brookemtinteriors)! Learn more about her services on her website (https://www.brookemtinteriors.com/).  

I’m so excited to be here and chat with you for the next couple minutes about what’s on my mind: Summer, motherhood, and business. In this exciting season I am giving myself permission to just be present, and I want that for you too. Key Takeaways

• “I want to be where my feet are” is my mantra for balancing motherhood and business this summer.
• Entrepreneurs often get to set their own schedule. Here is your permission to enjoy that flexibility.
• I’m changing my mindset around what I define as productive and how I can be present
• I’m being firm with my schedule by focusing on what I reasonably have time for
• There are so many things vying for my attention, so I’m limiting distractions and getting clear about how I really want to spend my time.
• This summer I’m focusing on my health and wellness with less time on social media and more time in the sunshine.
• I’m in an especially busy season with a move in July into an apartment building we’re currently renovating and managing our new home build. I had no idea this would be like another full time job!
• Part of being intentional with my time is taking a summer break from the podcast. I look forward to coming back at my best with new empowering content.
• My parting advice before summer break: I want to encourage you to put those boundaries in place, get clear on your expectations, and go do the thing!
• Let’s stay in touch! I want to hear how you are handling this summer busyness. Send me a message on Instagram or Facebook at @empowerher.co. 

Hi listener! I’m so excited to welcome Lexi Marek Beeler to the podcast today. I got to meet Lexi for lunch in the small town where I live; the same one she grew up in. So much is going on in her life since our lunch date, so it was great to catch up with her in this episode.  Key Takeways

• Lexi is a 6th generation farm girl raised in Southeast Iowa. She begged her parents for a smartphone and ended up using it to promote her family’s business. This led to a passion for agriculture communications, which she studied at Iowa State University.
• An internship for FarmHer led to a career with the company before she even graduated. She also worked for the State of Iowa Department of Agriculture on the secretary’s communication team.
• Lexi has recently went into business for herself: “ I build experiences for businesses, specifically in agriculture, and those experiences are around digital or event spaces.”
• “People don’t remember you unless they hear about you seven times. How are you reaching them seven times?”: Lexi sees social media as the introduction to the brand.
• Lexi loves planning great events and works to make every person feel welcome with really good speakers, food, coffee, and applicable content.
• Blogs aren’t dead! They are great for searchable, evergreen content.
• Lexi is a Des Moines evangelist and recommends Centro as a can’t-miss restaurant. 
• Lexi is currently binging Amy Porterfield books and podcasts. I’m terrible at reading fiction but she insists the Knock ‘em Out series from Lucy Score will get me hooked.

Connect with Lexi Marek Beeler Find Lexi on her blog, Instagram, or her new ag communications consulting business website.

Welcome to another episode of the Empower Her Podcast! I’m so excited to welcome Lisa Even, a corporate-culture junkie turned entrepreneur. She’s a speaker and coach on a mission to make a million meaningful connections.  She inspires us to pursue joy and connection in our daily lives Key Takeaways

• Lisa wanted to start a business teaching healthcare leaders how to lead people. Like a lot of us, Covid interrupted her plans, so she reflected on what the world needs: Connection. She reached out and had more than 200 Zoom virtual coffees.
• Lisa is a keynote speaker, leads workshops, coaches, and hosts conferences.
• A tip for connecting with people: Start with a question they know the answer to and followup with a preference question.
• Throw your elevator pitch out the window! Get someone to share about themselves and mirror the nuggets they give you.
• Be on the hunt for people’s heartburn and horizon, and ask how you can help. The heartburn is their challenge of the day and the horizon is what they are dreaming towards. How can you help?
• Lisa became a “joy connoisseur” when she and her husband, both high achievers, realized they were always chasing the next big thing. They hung a whiteboard in their bedroom and listed ways to bring more joy to their lives. She now intentionally schedules joy.
• Crappy to happy: When she has to do something she doesn’t want to, like dishes, she things of ways to make it better, like listening to music during or looking forward to something after.

Connect with Lisa Lisa has a book coming out: Joy is My Job. Sign up for her mailing list, read her blog, and find her social media links on her website. 

Welcome back, listener! This week I’m so excited to bring Leslie Epstein of Your Tanning Bar to the podcast. I first met Leslie as a client and was so impressed by how comfortable she made me feel. You’ll see that support and ease is at the center of her business model, and it’s serving her (and, of course, her clients) very well. Welcome to the podcast, Leslie! Key Takeways

• Most people we know love a great spray tan, but when Leslie opened her first Cedar Rapids location 11 years ago, she was one of the first spray tan bars in the Midwest!
• Your Tanning Bar Iowa offers custom organic spray tans in three locations: Cedar Rapids, Coralville, and Bettendorf.
• Leslie proposed a spray tan business as a college project and her professor was so confused by it that she got only a C+. Times have changed and she has been a leader in her industry.
• Leslie is passionate about helping women feel relaxed and comfortable. Experience is key.
• Leslie loved tanning as a teen but developed skin cancer so started looking for a new way to get the glow she loved. She is a natural redhead but says that a special glow can be formulated for anyone.
• Leslie has been challenged by letting go of control as she scales her business, but she is getting better at it, especially as a new mom.
• “If we can’t get out of our own way we will cap the growth”
• Leslie loves podcasts by female entrepreneurs, especially Alli Webb of Drybar.

Connect with Leslie Follow Your Tanning Bar on Instagram at yourtanningbar_iowa and follow her Linktree to book at any of her three locations.  

Hey there, listener! Welcome back to a new episode of the Empower Her Podcast! I’m thrilled to bring you today’s guest. Every time I’m around her, her smile and energy just radiates. I learn so much from her and how considerate and intentional she is about building not just her business, but a life she loves. I hope you enjoy my conversation today with Erika Christiansen of Tura Lura Co. Key Takeaways

• Erika is a multipassionate entrepreneur who specializes in thoughtful handmade goods with her company Tura Lura Co. She is an artist, educator, mom, partner, and involved with friends and community.
• When the pandemic hit Erika had a newborn and two year old. She found solace in her concrete work and candles. Erika earned an artist grant that allowed her to scale her business. March 4 was her business anniversary AND birthday.
• It can be challenging to balance making beautiful products but make a profit. Online sales are important to Erika but she still values the tactile experience of in-person shopping. She is always adapting and changing her strategy in her product-based business.
• Erika is also passionate about her role with the University of Iowa’s Center for Human Rights where manages programs and teaches undergraduate classes.
• Erika prioritizes her physical health, which helps her sleep, which helps her mental health. She also has the habit of a healthy smoothie every morning.
• Erika regularly revisits her values and looks to connect change to what is already happening.
• Erika loves podcasts: Tend Her Wild, Product Boss, CEO School, and Goal Digger.
• Reproductive justice is important to Erika. She recommends the book The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda French Gates.

Connect with Erika Shop, find the links to all of her socials, and news about Erika’s upcoming events at TuraLuraCo.com.

With March being Women’s History month, I wanted to share women doing amazing things on the podcast. Amy O’Connell of Sprinkled Confections is doing just that. She has built a phenomenal business around her amazing cookies, cakes, and desserts. Her new bakery is such an asset to her small town. I’m so inspired by her and know you will be too. Key Takeaways

• Amy lives with her husband and three young boys on their farm near Holy Cross, Iowa. In addition to a thriving bakery business she farms O’Connell Organic Acres.
• Amy grew up on a dairy farm with a mom who was always in the kitchen. She loved helping her mom bake. As a new mom herself she found herself wanting to have goals and contribute to her family’s income so she started doing cakes on the side.
• Amy’s son had allergies to dairy, beef, and eggs, so she learned a lot about allergy-free baking. She continues to be an asset to her community making delicious desserts with allergies in mind.
• Amy worked out of her home and her business grew by word of mouth. When her business seemed to take over her whole house she made plans to build her own bakery. 
• She built her bakery in a beautiful location with “instagramability” in mind. The building has a gorgeous industrial interior for hosting events and workshops. She is nearly booked solid for special weekend events and is open to the public three days weekly.
• The bulk of her business is custom work. Amy says it’s important to diversify revenue streams as a small business, even more so as a food business.
• Amy loves her clients who have been with her from the beginning. She loves being part of their events through life.
• How to price? Amy posts her base prices online so people know what to expect before consulting. Because her work is mostly custom, people are willing to pay for her time and talent, not just the ingredients.
• How does she juggle it all? Amy says: To be determined. Sometimes she doesn’t know, but she appreciates her community and the help of family. She recently switched to a digital planner and recommends Artful Agenda.
• Amy is offering a royal icing cookie decorating workshop at her shop at the end of the month. Connect using links below and sign up.

Connect with Amy Amy’s Instagram is filled with beautiful edible art. You can follow her on Facebook and learn more about Sprinkled Confections and booking her building on her website.

Hey there, listener. Throughout life we meet people who totally change the trajectory of who we are by the value they bring. Today I’m super excited to bring you someone who has been that change for me.   Arica Ohloff is a dear friend who I’ve worked closely with for the last few years and I credit so much growth I’ve experienced to her. She encourages me to be confident in who I am, what I bring, and who I am supposed to be. I hope she inspires the same for you in today’s episode.  Key Takeaways

• The role Arica is the most proud of is mother to her second-grade son. We spend some time discussing the joys and pains of raising boys.
• As a coach and speaker Arica’s mission is to help people love who they are. 
• Arica coaches according to the Gallup Test Strengths Assessment. “I believe people want to know that who they are and what they do matters.”
• “Actually, I can’t be world class at every component of this business and so now I’m going to look for who could be good in those roles.”
• “Confidence backed by humility are the two greatest gifts we can have and then we also create greater engagement from the people around us”
• “It is a great privilege of mine to come along side leaders and help elevate their people. Great companies invest in the growth and development of their people but also great people invest in the growth and development of themselves.”
• If you feel like you are the only one struggling with hiring for roles, you are not alone. Arica says many leaders are frustrated with the current hiring climate.
• Arica is inspired by statistics: “Most experts believe 90% of people go to their grave tapping in to only 10% of their potential.”
• Arica believes in the power of compound habits. A life changer for her is paying attention to sleep and doing plenty of reading or “fueling the mind”
•  “Control what we can control and do our best with the rest”

Books mentioned

• Author John Maxwell
• Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly
• People Fuel by Dr. John Townsend
• Atomic Habits by James Clear

Connect with Arica You can find Arica on her website and find links to her email and social media. 

Hello friend! I’m so excited to bring you Jenny Roth of Jenny Roth Copywriting.  What a better guest to speak on copywriting than the author of my favorite email. Jenny specializes in writing copy for websites and email and is clearly so talented at what she does. Lucky for us, she is also willing to share how to use copywriting to better serve your clients and reach your marketing goals. Key Takeaways

• Jenny lives in rural South Dakota with her farmer husband and three daughters. She started copywriting just to earn extra money but now loves it as a career. She loved writing and wanted to work from home, so copywriting is perfect.
• Time and again Jenny says to do what works for you. You don’t need an email list if you don’t look forward to it! Jenny loves her emails and says “An email list is the after party where people go to get the good stuff.”
• Before diving into an email list, ask what is the goal of the reader and why should they join? How can an email list help you serve your client?
• Focus on a high quality “lead magnet” like a digital product to offer people who opt-in to your list. You can build your audience by trading promotions with other entrepreneurs.
• Jenny loves stories and recommends keeping a “story bank” to take some time each day to write down what you learned. They make great stories when you feel stuck later.
• Imagine an email like a grocery store run in instead of a novel! Be friendly but get to the point.
• Knowing your target audience is so important. Jenny has 67 questions to work through with new clients to identify their target customer!
• Most importantly, Jenny says to just start.
• Jenny’s email list is a favorite! Sign up and get 55+ email subject lines to get an open rate of 40% or higher.
• If you’d like to write your own newsletter but need some guidance, consider Jenny’s Not Your Mama’s Newsletter membership.

Connect with Jenny Find Jenny on her website or connect on Instagram.   Website: www.jennyrothcopywriting.com   Free 55+ email subject lines to get an open rate of 40% or higher: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/63d831f8b4f015f30446e358   Email Newsletter Template Membership: https://jennyroth.podia.com/not-your-mama-s-newsletters

Hello there, listener! I’m so excited to be back again with an interview, especially with someone as awesome as this week’s guest.   I’m fortunate to have Molly Knuth as a real-life friend. She’s someone who I really admire and respect so much. I appreciate the impact she’s making for so many female entrepreneurs. She’s someone to pay attention to!   Key Takeaways

• Molly is usually on the other side of the interview table as host of the Found podcast. She heads her social media agency, Molly Knuth Media, and shares strategy, training, and consulting for female entrepreneurs though her personal online presence. 
• Molly is a teacher by trade and left to be a stay-at-home mom. In 2016, with four children at home, she needed something for herself and started helping her family’s business with administrative work. Their social media really took off with Molly’s help and she started Molly Knuth Media with five clients.
• I love hearing what Molly is up to in personal growth. She says: “It’s not always just about what you learn in the program or the workshop or the mastermind that you’re in, so much of that is the people who are in it along side of you.”
• Molly references the baby/teen/adult years of business and has a podcast on this topic: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2fRPEj6hwAON0zjLRZYeN7?si=ZtWygcD0QQyHi8QsWDb3Pg
• Molly used to focus on strategy with social media, but has taken a SHIFT towards energetics. Her acronym stands for self-awareness, human design, intention, framing (planning), and testing.
• Strategy is still important! Molly identifies six “levers” of social media strategy that you can adjust depending on what your business (or family, or personal life) needs. Plan, make actual content, manage platforms, interact and build community, leverage, and build legacy content.
• Molly is looking towards legacy content in what she calls “Social Media 2.0”: “Having a piece of legacy content like a podcast, like a blog, like a website, an email list, those are going to be really big for giving your audience somewhere else to go to consume your content, to interact with you and to help create a legacy that exists beyond social media.”
• Molly always has great suggestions. Two podcasts she mentions are
• • Guide Not Guru https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/guide-not-guru-with-kelly-brock/id1649236768
  • Armchair Expert https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/armchair-expert-umbrella-with-dax-shepard/id1345682353

Connect with Molly

• Follow Molly’s business, Molly Knuth Media
• • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyknuthmedia/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mollyknuthmedia
•  For a personal look at life as a female entrepreneur, social media strategy, business coaching, and more, connect with Molly:
• • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollyknuth_mkm/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mollyknuthmkm
• Find the Found podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5YACTbRulN4NooX32NgzgV