The Impact Ripple - Hiring and Leadership for Visionary Female Business Owners

In this season finale episode of The Impact Ripple Podcast, I reflect on the enlightening conversations I had during "money month" with three esteemed guests from the finance industry sharing valuable insights to empower you on your hiring journey.

Episode 22 - How to Shift Your Money Mindset and Start Hiring Your Dream Team with Christine Walsh

Episode 23 - Breaking the Money Taboo: Overcoming Emotional Barriers to Building Wealth with Keina Newell

Episode 24 - Why Hiring Right is Critical for Your Small Business Success with Carla Titus 

Then I address some common fears and insights I’ve seen during my years as a Hiring and Leadership Mentor. And we explore the concept of the "impact ripple," through fostering a compassionate and kind work environment, business owners can contribute to a better world.

Join me for this impactful episode as we wrap up Season Two and discover the transformative possibilities of hiring with humanity and intentionality. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The significance of hiring beyond financial considerations and the value of creating opportunities for individuals who don't fit into traditional roles.
• The concept of the "impact ripple" and how hiring soul-filling employees can positively impact not only their lives but also extend to their interactions with others, creating a more compassionate world.
• Encouragement to envision the impact that hiring could have on one's quality of life, business, communities, and the world.
• Advice to start small and gradually grow the team according to the business's specific vision and goals, emphasizing that a large team is not necessary if it doesn't align with the objectives.
• The reminder that not everyone desires to run a business, and there are talented individuals who can contribute as dedicated team members, dispelling the fear of employees taking ideas and starting their own businesses.

Mentioned in This Episode: 

• Ep13 -  Growing Your Team with Intention - https://www.sprouthr.co/13  
• Hiring VIP Day - https://www.sprouthr.co/hiring 
• Leadership Mentoring - https://www.sprouthr.co/leadership 
• Ashley Cox on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyncox 
• SproutHR on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sprouthr.co/

This episode is part of our Money Month Series. You can find all the episodes in this series here:

• Ep22 - How to Shift Your Money Mindset and Start Hiring Your Dream Team with Christine Walsh
• Ep23 - Breaking the Money Taboo: Overcoming Emotional Barriers to Building Wealth with Keina Newell
• Ep24 - Why Hiring Right is Critical for Your Small Business Success with Carla Titus 

Are you struggling to make informed financial decisions when it comes to hiring for your small business? Tune in to this episode of The Impact Ripple Podcast where we demystify the financial numbers and share expert tips on how to be intentional with your hiring process and paying yourself as a business owner.

In this episode, I spoke with Carla Titus, the owner of Wealth and Worth Within, where she and I broke down the financial numbers all business owners want and need to know when hiring employees.

Carla shared the four main numbers that you need to pay attention to and how to plan for the cost of hiring. She emphasized the importance of being intentional about your finances and education to help you make more informed financial decisions.

One key takeaway from our conversation was the importance of having a hiring plan and how defining the role and performance metrics before hiring will help you avoid making a poor hire decision for your small business.

We also discuss the importance of aligning your people plan with your business plan so you can be strategic, mindful, and intentional in your hiring process. 

Having a hiring plan and understanding the costs associated with hiring employees takes the guesswork out of it and allows you to make more informed and successful hiring decisions.

We also talked about how to pay yourself as a business owner. Many business owners don't pay themselves or don't pay themselves enough. Carla suggested starting with a small amount like $100 per week and increasing that as the business grows. She also explained that it’s essential to prioritize profit over revenue and reassess pay rates as you bring on new team members.

If you’ve been looking for a conversation on the financial ins and outs of hiring employees, this is the episode for you! 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The four main financial numbers all small business owners need to pay attention to.
• The importance of being intentional and having a hiring plan to avoid disappointment and unexpected costs.
• Ways to build a team in a small business, including hiring temporary contractors and having cash reserves.
• How business owners can pay themselves a salary and prioritize profit over revenue.

This episode is part of our Money Month Series. You can find all the episodes in this series here:

• Ep22 - How to Shift Your Money Mindset and Start Hiring Your Dream Team with Christine Walsh
• Ep23 - Breaking the Money Taboo: Overcoming Emotional Barriers to Building Wealth with Keina Newell

Mentioned in This Episode: 

• TIR Episode 13: Growing Your Team with Intention - https://www.sprouthr.co/13  
• Carla’s Website -  https://www.wealthworthwithin.com  
• Carla’s Projections & Forecasting Services - https://www.wealthworthwithin.com/projections
• You can also find Carla on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok!

Are your money emotions holding you back?

On this episode of The Impact Ripple Podcast, I sat down with my friend and Financial Coach, Keina Newell, founder of Wealth Over Now, to talk about building generational wealth, creating a values-aligned budget that feels liberating, and making investments that deliver more than just a financial return.

Keina shares about the way the emotions we associate with money can hold women business owners back and practical steps you can take to build generational wealth and abundance.

She encourages women to create a budget that aligns with your values and goals, which can feel more liberating and empowering rather than stifling and restrictive. 

Keina also shares new ways to think about the return on your financial investments, which go beyond simply making more money. 

Our conversation then shifts to the challenges that women face in hiring help for their businesses, and how to see the return on investment of outsourcing in non-financial terms.

Keina shared the importance of creating a "Hell No” and “Hell Yes" investment list for personal and business expenses, which can help you become more aware of your spending habits and make more intentional decisions with your money. 

Additionally, we talk about the guilt and shame that can sometimes creep up when buying things we don’t need or use, and the benefits of auditing our life and expenses to save money.

This conversation with Keina is an honest look at the way we think and feel about money, practical advice, and inspiring mindset shifts for women business owners who want to create financial abundance and freedom in their businesses and their lives.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The emotional connection with money and how it can hold women business owners back.
• The importance of creating a budget and how it can be liberating when you align spending with your values and goals.
• The mindset shift needed to see a return on investment that goes beyond just a financial return.
• The challenges that women face in hiring help for their businesses and how to overcome them.
• The concept of a "Hell No” and “Hell Yes" investment list to make more intentional and conscious decisions with money.

Mentioned in This Episode: 

• Money Month Series – Episode 22: How to Shift Your Money Mindset and Start Hiring Your Dream Team with Christine Walsh
• Money Month Series – Episode 24: Why Hiring Right is Critical for Your Small Business Success with Carla Titus - coming next week!
• Keina’s Website: www.wealthovernow.com/wealthovernow.com
• Keina’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/wealthovernow  
• Keina’s Freedom + Flexibility Guide: https://wealthovernow.com/freedom-and-flexibility

This episode kicks off our Money Month series, where we’re diving deep into all things around money and finances as a business owner who’s growing a team!

In this episode, I chat with Christine Walsh, a financial coach who helps women entrepreneurs overcome financial fears and increase their income. We discuss the impact that our beliefs and mindset about money can have on a business owner's ability to grow their business and manage their finances. 

Christine begins by sharing her journey to becoming a financial coach, including how the events of 9/11 influenced her decision to leave investment banking and work in a more impactful way. She emphasizes that money is infinite and can be created, and that recognizing one's creative power and taking responsibility for it is absolutely essential.

We also delve into the topic of when a small business owner should hire their first employee. 

Christine and I agreed that being intentional in the hiring process is key and that there is no perfect answer. (I know, womp womp!) Rather, it’s about looking at the big picture and the numbers, as well as your own feelings, which can help business owners make more informed decisions. We also discuss starting with part-time or contractor positions to build up financial support and ensure sustainability for the business.

Throughout our conversation, Christine offers helpful mindset shifts for overcoming financial fears and maximizing team potential and return on investment.

If you’ve been thinking about hiring for your growing business, but the money side of things has been holding you back, dive into this episode for a dose of encouragement, mindset shifts, and actionable advice today!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The importance of recognizing and overcoming limiting beliefs about money that can hinder the growth and success of a business
• How to reframe beliefs about money to create a foundation that produces desired results
• Tips for small business owners on when and how to hire their first employee, including being intentional in the hiring process and building up financial support
• The role of mindset and thought processes in building a successful business

Mentioned in This Episode: 

• Money Archetype Quiz
• Christine’s Website
• Christine on LinkedIn
• Christine on Instagram
• TIR Episode 13 Growing Your Team with Intention

Hey leader, if you find yourself in need of a dose of heartfelt goodness and encouragement today, take a listen to this episode of The Impact Ripple podcast with my dear friend and coach, Lee Chaix McDonough.

Lee is the Founder of Coach with Clarity, where she helps women in helping professions create flexible and meaningful businesses that serve their people and support their families – without selling their souls. 

Interest peaked? I thought so! ;)

Lee shares her personal journey from being a psychotherapist living overseas with her family to supporting her husband in his business venture and eventually starting her own coaching business. 

We discuss the cyclical nature of business and how entrepreneurs can navigate challenging times through meaning, mindset, and mindfulness.

I love Lee’s analogy that just like the earth needs fallow periods for the soil to regenerate, businesses also have periods of growth, harvest, and fallow seasons where things may be tough. Yes, even the multi-6 and 7-figure businesses out there.

She advises entrepreneurs to show up and do the work, trusting that the cycle will continue and growth will come again.

We also dive into Lee's book, Act on Your Business, which addresses the principals of meaning, mindset, and mindfulness through an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) lens. Lee shares that she wrote the book for herself and her clients as she found that ACT principles were applicable not just in a therapy room, but in life and business.

We discuss the importance of values in our personal lives, businesses, and families and emphasize that living a value-oriented life is simple but not easy, as sometimes our values can clash and compete with each other. 

Finally, we talk about coaching styles and the importance of understanding our own coaching style as leaders to best support and guide our teams. This episode is one of those feel-good conversations that will leave you feeling inspired and motivated in life and business.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The cyclical nature of business and how entrepreneurs can navigate the challenging times with meaning, mindset, and mindfulness.
• The importance of values in life and business and how to prioritize them globally, as well as in the moment.
• The benefits of knowing and understanding your coaching style as a leader to better support and guide your team.

Mentioned in This Episode: 

• The Impact Ripple Podcast #5: Building a Strong Foundation for Your Team with Core Values - https://www.sprouthr.co/5
• Coach With Clarity Podcast #153: Growing A Right Sized Business with Ashley Cox - https://www.coachwithclarity.com/growing-a-right-sized-business-with-ashley-cox
• ACT on Your Business Book - https://www.amazon.com/ACT-Your-Business-entrepreneurship-mindfulness-ebook/dp/B07LGF25Q2
• Discover Your Coaching Type - Coachingquiz.com

In this episode, we’re talking all about health and wellness at work. Something small business owners – and especially female business owners – struggle with often. Joining me for this conversation is Amber Gourley, a Functional and Integrative Dietitian and owner of Heal U.

We start our conversation by chatting about the importance of prioritizing health and wellness for small business owners and leaders. Amber shares her personal journey from business and human resources to dietetics, and how she started Heal U to empower women to make positive lifestyle changes.

As leaders, it's also critical for us to create a healthy workplace culture by prioritizing the wellness of our team, since employees bring their whole selves to work and cannot leave their sickness, stress, or personal problems at the door. Healthy employees are more productive and contribute more to the workplace, so not only is it the right thing to do, it’s a smart business move, too.

Amber emphasizes the need for boundaries in wellness and shares simple, low-cost ways to support one's own health, as well as the health of the team that can put into practice right away! We also discuss how you can prioritize wellness for your employees, by considering their unique needs and preferences.

This conversation encourages leaders to slow down, take care of yourself, and your team. Because when we prioritize wellness, we create a healthier company culture and have a more significant impact in the world together.


In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The importance of taking care of one's health and wellness as small business owners and leaders.
• The benefits of creating a healthy workplace culture and how it impacts employee productivity and contribution to the workplace.
• Simple and low-cost ways to support the health of employees.
• The need for boundaries in wellness and how to create a healthier company culture that prioritizes the wellness of employees.

Mentioned in This Episode: 

• Heal U Website
• Monthly Small Business Membership
• Heal U Facebook
• Heal U Instagram

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down for a conversation with Maritza Shay Nelson, an employment law attorney who specializes in supporting small businesses and non-profit organizations. 

You might be thinking, “Sheesh! HR *and* Legal? Are you trying to bore me to death?” But I promise you’re going to love this conversation, because Shay and I had SO much fun and shared loads of laughs, along with valuable insights and advice.. 

We discussed the complexities of employment laws, where Shay emphasized the importance of having legal support to help you protect your business from potential lawsuits and reputation damage. 

We dove into an important conversation about the differences you need to know between hiring 1099 Independent Contractors and W-2 Employees, understanding Exempt vs. Non-Exempt compensation structures, as well as the legal challenges of hiring workers in multiple states. 

Shay highlighted the significance of being proactive in your business to avoid costly legal issues *and* creating a positive work environment where employees feel valued and respected.

This episode is a must-listen for small business owners who want to navigate legal and HR issues proactively. It’s chock full of valuable insights and advice to help you protect yourself and your employees, while minimizing risks and avoiding legal pot holes along the way.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The differences between 1099 Independent Contractors and W-2 Employees.
• Understanding Exempt vs. Non-Exempt compensation structures.
• How to proactively avoid costly legal issues, lawsuits, and reputation damage.
• Unique challenges of navigating employment laws across multiple states.
• Potential costs (financial and otherwise) of dealing with lawsuits for small business owners.

Mentioned in This Episode: 

• MSN Law Office - https://www.msnlawoffice.com   
• Book with Shay - https://www.msnlawoffice.com/prospective-client-scheduling.html 
• Shay’s Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/maritzasnelson/
• Shay’s Blog Post: Disclosing Salary Information, Nice to Do or Must Do? - https://www.msnlawoffice.com/blog/disclosing-salary-information 
• TIR Episode 18:  Legal Myths You Need to Know if You Have Employees with Alexis Tahinci - https://www.sprouthr.co/18

I’m excited to welcome our first attorney on The Impact Ripple podcast this week, Alexis Tahinci, of Tahinci Law Firm! Alexis is an employment law and civil rights attorney who works on behalf of employees who are filing claims against their employers.

While this may sound counterintuitive to some, what I find most powerful about this collaboration is that Alexis was able to share the most common complaints employees are bringing to her office to help us avoid creating the same issues in our own businesses.

Alexis also shared common employment law myths and issues that small businesses need to be aware of to protect themselves and ensure health and supportive workplace cultures.

One of the biggest myths we dispel is that small businesses aren’t subject to employment laws and what you need to know and be aware of to protect your business and build a team founded upon legal compliance and ethics.

We discuss a variety of common misconceptions, including the belief that employers can fire anyone without consequence in an "at will" state (and what that actually means). Alexis also clarifies the difference between legal and illegal terminations, protected classes, and she offers loads of valuable insight and clarity around some of the biggest offenses she’s seeing in her practice right now.

And of course, we explain what all of these things mean in layman’s terms so you know exactly what to know and watch out for in your business.

Finally, we wrap things up with some conversation around bringing humanity back to employment and leadership.

If you’re hiring employees or already have a team of employees, this is a can’t miss episode to ensure you’ve got your legal ducks in a row and are doing right by your team!


In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The myths and misconceptions around at-will employment and right-to-work laws
• The differences between federal and state laws that small business owners need to know when hiring employees across multiple states
• Common employment law violations that small businesses should avoid
• The importance of seeking legal advice when unsure about the nuances of the law
• The value of bringing humanity back into the equation to avoid lawsuits and create a positive workplace culture

Mentioned in This Episode: 

• Tahinci Law Firm - https://tahincilaw.com/
• Alexis on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/attorney_alexis
• Alexis on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AttorneyAlexisTahinci

Have you ever felt anxious thinking about hiring the wrong person for your small business?

If so, you’re in luck! Because that’s exactly what I’m diving into on this episode of The Impact Riple podcast.

Hiring the right person is something every business owner wants.

BUT being *able* to hire the right person and *actually* hiring the right person…well, that’s a bit of a different story.

As someone who’s been hiring employees for more than 17 years now, there are a few things I’ve learned along the way to help you avoid hiring the wrong person for the job.

In this episode, I share the 3 types of employees you should *never* hire for your small business and why they’re not right, no matter what.

I also talk about what to focus on when hiring instead, so you can hire right, every time.

This episode is chock full of practical insights and information that will help you step into hiring with more confidence because you’ll know exactly what to watch out for when you do.

I fully believe that hiring gets to be fun and easy. And it helps when you know what to watch out for so you can always hire the right person from the start!


In this episode, you’ll learn:

• 3 types of employees you should never hire
• Why business owners tend to hire these employees
• What to focus on when hiring instead

Mentioned in This Episode: 

• Episode 5 Building a Strong Foundation for Your Team with Core Values
• Hiring VIP Day
• Book A Free Discovery Call
• SproutHR Social Links:
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Are you a fan of conflict?

I’m guessing you probably answered, “Absolutely not!!” to that question. You might have even thought, “I’d rather get a root canal.”

If you’re like most of the business owners we work with at SproutHR, you don’t enjoy conflict. I can’t blame you! Most of us weren’t taught how to handle conflict effectively and some of us learned through a lot of trial and error (raises hand!).

As you grow your team, however, you will be faced with conflict and it can either break your business or amplify it. That’s why I asked my friend and conflict expert, Anna Nielsen, to join me on this episode of The Impact Ripple podcast.

Anna begins by sharing her powerful story of how her personal life led to a fulfilling career helping others navigate conflict more skillfully.

She shares insights on how to move beyond conflict management to being conflict capable and what the difference is between the two.

One part of our conversation that I especially loved was the importance Anna stressed of having a plan in place for how you and your team handle conflict, including specific language, skills, and techniques.

Anna suggests that conflict should be seen as an investment, rather than something that we avoid. And we have a great conversation around how most conflict isn’t personal, but we often treat it that way.

With her extensive experience in civil mediation, conflict resolution consulting, and facilitated dialogues, Anna believes that conflict is the number one thing stifling amazing, mission-driven companies, and holding them back from reaching their highest potential.

By leading with your values, creating spaces for psychological safety and emotional intelligence, and becoming conflict capable, teams can unlock innovation, boost engagement, reduce stress, improve mental health, and retain team members.

I don’t know about you, but ALL of that sounds great to me!

If you tend to get super nervous when conflict arises or you try to avoid it at all costs, hoping and praying it’ll go away on its own, please join me for this comforting and empowering conversation with Anna Nielsen!


In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between conflict management and being conflict capable
• Why conflict is often viewed as negative and how to welcome it into your business and team instead
• The importance of leading with your values and creating spaces for psychological safety and emotional intelligence when approaching conflict
• How being conflict capable can unlock innovation, boost engagement, and retain employees

Mentioned in This Episode: 

• Anna’s Website  www.conflictcapable.com 
• Anna’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-nielsen-conflictcapable