By Maureen Mwangi
5
2121 ratings
The podcast currently has 108 episodes available.
Whether you’re a full-face glam type or a natural face girlie, you probably already know one of the most important (and hard to perfect) steps of the makeup routine:
Your foundation.
I was struggling with this myself this past year. My usual go-to—the Fenty Sheer Glow foundation—just never really agreed with my skin, no matter what I tried. It looks so bomb on other people, but on me, it just sat kind of cakey and dry. My skin never drank it up like I wanted it to.
Enter my new fav: the Dior Forever Skin Glow foundation. I gave this one another try, and voila: melty, glassy perfection!
But of course, you know me—it’s never just about makeup.
My recent discovery got me thinking about the parallels between the foundation we put on our faces and the foundation of our product-based brands. (Stick with me here!)
Your base sets the tone for your final look.
It either pulls everything together, or it sets you up for failure.
It can either make you feel like a glowy goddess, or it makes you feel self-conscious and out of place.
It’s also a tricky balance that takes some people years to really nail. But once you do, there is no turning back!
Trust me—finding that right foundation (whether for your face or your brand) makes you feel like you’re on Cloud 9.
And if you need a little help finding the right match, be sure to tune in to this week’s podcast episode, where we dive into the things you need for the best brand foundation possible, including:
💄Raving about specific features and benefits of your product
💄Showing the moment of choice to back up your premium pricing
💄Adding character, depth, and personality with your positioning
And more!
You deserve a foundation that flatters you—let’s figure out what that looks like for your brand!
✨ FREE TRAINING:
Ready to identify the One Growth Strategy You Need to Focus on First to Increase Sales Now? Watch the most recent training: Uncap Your Growth & Bring in More Product Sales without Changing Your Branding or Packaging
✨ WORK WITH MAUREEN:
Ready to revolutionize your brand by mapping and mastering the brand growth levers your brand needs to get increased visibility, sales certainty and cash confidence? Schedule a strategy call.
✨ CONNECT WITH MAUREEN:
🖥 Website: Startward Consulting
📷 Instagram: Follow Me On Instagram
📷 Youtube: Subscribe To Youtube Channel
Picture this:
You’ve poured hundreds (if not THOUSANDS) of hours into designing the perfect product.
You know it works. You went through dozens of prototypes to iron out every single kink. It addresses a particular problem and makes things 10X easier. Heck, you use it yourself!
People should love this.
And yet…it’s not flying off the shelves.
Lots of you are probably in this predicament yourself. And if you are, I want to tell you something super important:
You have a great product—but that’s not enough.
Your blood, sweat, and marketing budget is a phenomenal start, but you can’t outmarket your sales strategy.
That’s where I’m here to help!
In this week's podcast episode, we get into the nitty-gritty of how to make your product sell like hotcakes the way that it DESERVES, including:
✨ How to frame your messaging to be irresistible
✨ Tapping into what your People constantly talk about
✨ Conveying your convictions (aka your “Why”)
And most importantly, how to tie it all together in one pretty, punchy package!
We already know your product is life-changing. Now, it’s time to make that translate into some life-changing sales!
Tune in today, and in just 30 short minutes, let’s make those shelves nice and empty—the way they should be!
✨ FREE TRAINING:
Ready to identify the One Growth Strategy You Need to Focus on First to Increase Sales Now? Watch the most recent training: Uncap Your Growth & Bring in More Product Sales without Changing Your Branding or Packaging
✨ WORK WITH MAUREEN:
Ready to revolutionize your brand by mapping and mastering the brand growth levers your brand needs to get increased visibility, sales certainty and cash confidence? Schedule a strategy call.
✨ CONNECT WITH MAUREEN:
🖥 Website: Startward Consulting
📷 Instagram: Follow Me On Instagram
📷 Youtube: Subscribe To Youtube Channel
Could you use more money?
Maybe the answer to that is obvious. As entrepreneurs, we’re always asking ourselves where we can get funding.
Funding gives us the chance to pour ourselves into our business. It gives us opportunities to grow our product lines, our inventories, and our marketing outreach. It gives us peace of mind as we use our time for our families, our projects, and our brand.
Funding gives us freedom.
We talk a lot about how to increase our sales, but there’s another source of funding out there: investors.
Getting funding on the front end can be a huge boost in our brand, but it’s also a whole different animal.
That’s where Kat Weaver comes in!
In this week’s special podcast episode, we sit down with Power to Pitch founder, Kat Weaver, to dig into the common pitfalls that come with pitching your brand, and what you can do to succeed.
And Kat would know—as a self-proclaimed “two-time accidental founder”, she realized early on that lots of amazing founders weren’t able to clearly and concisely talk about who they were and what they needed.
Today, she helps founders get funded faster while also introducing them to investors in their industry. The result? She’s helped founders raise over $15 million in grants and ventures—and counting.
Tune in TODAY to see how she does it, and how you can pitch your own brand story with confidence, no matter who is in the room with you.
✨ FREE TRAINING:
Ready to identify the One Growth Strategy You Need to Focus on First to Increase Sales Now? Watch the most recent training: Uncap Your Growth & Bring in More Product Sales without Changing Your Branding or Packaging
✨ WORK WITH MAUREEN:
Ready to revolutionize your brand by mapping and mastering the brand growth levers your brand needs to get increased visibility, sales certainty and cash confidence? Schedule a strategy call.
✨ CONNECT WITH MAUREEN:
🖥 Website: Startward Consulting
📷 Instagram: Follow Me On Instagram
📷 Youtube: Subscribe To Youtube Channel
If you’re looking back on the last three months of 2024 and still feeling lost, then today’s message is for you!
A long, long time ago (aka December 2023), I found myself wistfully thinking ahead to what 2024 might have in store. (Not to toot my own horn, but I’m pretty good at nailing down trends!)
Now, I’ve gotten to see some of those trends in action, and I’m bringing my results straight to you!
Think of where you’re at now that we’re into the thick of 2024.
Maybe the things you had focused on in the beginning now don’t seem to be paying off.
Maybe you’re trying to reorganize, or just need some reassurance that you’re going in the right direction.
No matter where you’re at, now is a good time to check in and see what’s working. And—maybe even more importantly—what’s not.
In this week’s podcast episode, we’re talking about what’s OFFICIALLY in for your brand this year—and what you can finally kick to the curb.
✨ How to be “product-forward”
✨ Building a movement around your brand
✨ Tapping into cultural nuance as your superpower
And more!
You still have 75% of 2024 left: let’s use that time to pivot your brand towards what it needs to be relevant, make money, and bring you joy.
✨ FREE TRAINING:
Ready to identify the One Growth Strategy You Need to Focus on First to Increase Sales Now? Watch the most recent training: Uncap Your Growth & Bring in More Product Sales without Changing Your Branding or Packaging
✨ WORK WITH MAUREEN:
Ready to revolutionize your brand by mapping and mastering the brand growth levers your brand needs to get increased visibility, sales certainty and cash confidence? Schedule a strategy call.
✨ CONNECT WITH MAUREEN:
🖥 Website: Startward Consulting
📷 Instagram: Follow Me On Instagram
📷 Youtube: Subscribe To Youtube Channel
As we head into Q2, you may be pouring over the bills on the table with a heavy heart.
It probably feels like there’s not enough to work with—too little in the bank, too many expenses popping up, and no room to breathe in between.
You may have even seen your sales plateau, despite doing EVERYTHING right. You’re showing up, you’re putting in the work, and yet, your sales aren’t matching your energy.
If this hits close to home for you right now, then I’m here to share one of the most important things you’ll ever read when it comes to your brand:
You do not need a lot of money to build a really successful brand.
Let me repeat that: you do not need a lot of money to build a successful brand.
You ALSO don’t need a lot of money to break out of that sales plateau and get your growth back on track.
So that leaves the question: what do you need?
That’s the key question we’re diving into in this week’s podcast episode! This week, we’re digging into real, tangible ways to break out of your capped growth and get your brand momentum back, including:
✨ How being brave in your business can open doors you never thought possible
✨ How marketing is a skill that ANYONE can master—no bubbly personality required!
✨ How to break through in even the most saturated markets
And more!
There is a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to your brand’s progress this year. If you’re tired of crunching the numbers in a panic, then be sure to tune in and see how your brand growth strategy can make that dreaded sales plateau a thing of the past!
✨ FREE TRAINING:
Ready to identify the One Growth Strategy You Need to Focus on First to Increase Sales Now? Watch the most recent training: Uncap Your Growth & Bring in More Product Sales without Changing Your Branding or Packaging
✨ WORK WITH MAUREEN:
Ready to revolutionize your brand by mapping and mastering the brand growth levers your brand needs to get increased visibility, sales certainty and cash confidence? Schedule a strategy call.
✨ CONNECT WITH MAUREEN:
🖥 Website: Startward Consulting
📷 Instagram: Follow Me On Instagram
📷 Youtube: Subscribe To Youtube Channel
Picture this:
You’re doing all the right things. Your content is getting clicks, your sales are trickling in. Things are finally starting to move in the right direction.
In fact, things are almost going too well. As the CEO, you are the one responsible for everything. The planning, the marketing, the writing, the accounting. Everything.
And you are tired.
So what do you do? The marketing gurus online seem to all point to one thing: hiring a team.
That should make things easier, but now you’re faced with another crucial decision:
Who in the world do you hire?
Do you need an assistant? A coach? A marketing agency?
I’m here to tell you a secret: who you hire makes all the difference.
Even the most qualified candidate can be more of a boon than a catalyst to your brand if they’re in the wrong role.
That’s why, in this week’s podcast episode, we’re diving into the real question behind it all:
Who should you invest in?
To help answer that question, we’ll dive into the nitty-gritty of it all, including:
✨What you shouldn’t hire someone to do (i.e. avoiding tasks you’d rather not do)
✨When you need a task taker vs. a decision maker
✨Who your first hire should be if you make less than $10K a month
And more!
Many hands make light work. The right hands build something new. Something that will stand the test of time for years to come!
Tune in to see how your next hire can give you clarity AND keep your brand’s momentum—exactly as it should be!
✨ FREE TRAINING:
Ready to identify the One Growth Strategy You Need to Focus on First to Increase Sales Now? Watch the most recent training: Uncap Your Growth & Bring in More Product Sales without Changing Your Branding or Packaging
✨ WORK WITH MAUREEN:
Ready to revolutionize your brand by mapping and mastering the brand growth levers your brand needs to get increased visibility, sales certainty and cash confidence? Schedule a strategy call.
✨ CONNECT WITH MAUREEN:
🖥 Website: Startward Consulting
📷 Instagram: Follow Me On Instagram
📷 Youtube: Subscribe To Youtube Channel
A lot of us left 2023 feeling heavy.
Not only have we been chin-deep in our business, but other things have gone to the wayside. We’re losing hair, losing sleep, and ultimately just losing our spark.
2024 can be different. It has to be different.
In this week’s special podcast episode, we’re talking to the lovely Maraya Brown, founder and CEO of the Women’s Vibrancy Code, to dive into how women entrepreneurs can build their legacy without burnout!
If you want to find out how to shape a business that fulfills you to the core, then you need to hear this week’s heart-to-heart, where we talk about:
✨ Paying yourself first in profit, health, and love
✨ Finding support systems to clear your brain fog and make things bright, more fun, AND more productive
✨ Stepping into next year to forgive big and dream big
And more!
Our bodies, brains, and businesses all run on a beautiful rhythm that’s trying to tell us what we need.
If we nurture it and tune in, we may just be surprised at what we find—and how much happiness and growth awaits us in 2024!
Link in bio for podcast and free menstrual tracker: https://www.instagram.com/_marayabrown_/ How are you treating yourself self assessment quiz: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pC67u9D1fioKcogFJRTRPv5eqaijU8N10evFKOkniIs/edit?usp=sharing Link to apply for a call to create a personalized package: https://share.hsforms.com/1Y59wqx-JRhKl8F-TbECbRwcr1a5?__hstc=60313330.d4803da42f1151dabccefca26f3753af.1688592064322.1695930722564.1696014560866.53&__hssc=60313330.1.1696014560866&__hsfp=2266632975 Website: https://marayabrown.com/ Podcasts: https://www.marayabrown.com/podcast FB: https://www.facebook.com/energyhormoneslibido FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603969509778639 IG: https://www.instagram.com/_marayabrown_/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maraya-brown-ba235169/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_marayabrown_ YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClFktw3TpnSzo5Pkgm2us8A
✨ FREE TRAINING:
Ready to identify the One Growth Strategy You Need to Focus on First to Increase Sales Now? Watch the most recent training: Uncap Your Growth & Bring in More Product Sales without Changing Your Branding or Packaging
✨ WORK WITH MAUREEN:
Ready to revolutionize your brand by mapping and mastering the brand growth levers your brand needs to get increased visibility, sales certainty and cash confidence? Schedule a strategy call.
✨ CONNECT WITH MAUREEN:
🖥 Website: Startward Consulting
📷 Instagram: Follow Me On Instagram
📷 Youtube: Subscribe To Youtube Channel
If you’re bracing for poor sales in Quarter 1 this year, then I need to tell you:
Inevitably low Q1 sales are a myth.
“But Maureen,” I hear you say, “everyone says that Q1 sales are always low. My market is dead right now!”
Trust me, I’ve been there. Q4 is full of a lot of highs (thanks, Black Friday + Cyber Monday), so we’re used to seeing things cool off a bit right after.
But the fact that Q1 sales have to be poor is a self-fulfilling prophecy—and something that’s fixable!
In this week’s podcast episode, I’m going to be covering some of the reasons why people think Q1 sales should suck, but also really talk about what are the things that you need to do to unlock consistent, year-round sales.
Let’s talk about:
➡️ Why you’re only making money during two seasons (and how to fix it)
➡️ How to make cultural moments that trigger purchasing decisions for your customer
➡️ Designing a selling cycle in Q1
➡️ Optimizing your new product release timeframe
And more!
Here’s the good news:
Most of my clients make money in Q1.
Your bills happen every month—so should your sales!
Not only does it give you peace of mind, but making sales in Q1 via clear and magnetic brand positioning helps you stand out during ALL campaign seasons—which means you’ll stand out in even the most saturated markets.
✨ FREE TRAINING:
Ready to identify the One Growth Strategy You Need to Focus on First to Increase Sales Now? Watch the most recent training: Uncap Your Growth & Bring in More Product Sales without Changing Your Branding or Packaging
✨ WORK WITH MAUREEN:
Ready to revolutionize your brand by mapping and mastering the brand growth levers your brand needs to get increased visibility, sales certainty and cash confidence? Schedule a strategy call.
✨ CONNECT WITH MAUREEN:
🖥 Website: Startward Consulting
📷 Instagram: Follow Me On Instagram
📷 Youtube: Subscribe To Youtube Channel
Growing up, Robin’s mother always told her to “take what I have and make it bigger”.
First, she put that advice to work 15 years ago by getting serious about nutrition.
She went from being prediabetic, overweight, and clueless about nutrition to fully discovering just how powerful food was—and making it her life’s mission to reach others how to use food and nutrition to build their bodies for the better.
Hence, Necessary Nutrition was born!
Robin started out Necessary Nutrition as a service-based brand, but over time, she had a dream to shift to a produce-based business: one that put her Vitamin D3 line on display.
But product-based brands are a whole other beast—one that Robin was completely inexperienced with.
So where to start?
That was the big question!
In this week’s podcast episode, we’re diving into Robin’s brand journey, including:
⭐How she broke through the noise in her industry and doubled her following on social media
⭐How she raised her prices—and got more sales and confidence in the process
⭐How she got more effective with her time, her energy, and her mindset
And more!
If you want predictable sales and predictable income, then you have to hear Robin’s story—so tune in today!
✨ FREE TRAINING:
Ready to identify the One Growth Strategy You Need to Focus on First to Increase Sales Now? Watch the most recent training: Uncap Your Growth & Bring in More Product Sales without Changing Your Branding or Packaging
✨ WORK WITH MAUREEN:
Ready to revolutionize your brand by mapping and mastering the brand growth levers your brand needs to get increased visibility, sales certainty and cash confidence? Schedule a strategy call.
✨ CONNECT WITH MAUREEN:
🖥 Website: Startward Consulting
📷 Instagram: Follow Me On Instagram
📷 Youtube: Subscribe To Youtube Channel
Your follower count on social media is climbing.
Your site is getting hits.
Likes, comments, and shares are rolling in.
And yet, no matter how good those numbers are, they’re not turning into conversions.
Attention is great, but it can’t pay your bills.
You need sales. And now, I’m here to tell you how to get them!
In this week’s podcast episode, we dive into the first part of a two-part series on this meaty topic, AKA: how you can turn your window-shoppers into repeat customers.
There may be a few reasons that the people who follow you are not taking the next step yet, and we’ll cover a few of the big ones, including:
💥How to build up the type of connection your clients will respond to the most
💥Knowing and communicating your customers’ psychological and buying triggers
💥Making content with strategic intention
And more!
It’s time to make all your hard work start to—literally—pay off!
✨FREE MASTERCLASS: THE SECRET PSYCHOLOGY OF YOUR SHOPPER
Learn How to Use The Secret Psychology of Shoppers to Get More Sales! Three Easy Ways to Get Customers to Start Picking Your Product instead of the Other Brand! www.startwardconsulting.com/webinar
✨ FREE TRAINING:
Ready to identify the One Growth Strategy You Need to Focus on First to Increase Sales Now? Watch the most recent training: Uncap Your Growth & Bring in More Product Sales without Changing Your Branding or Packaging
✨ WORK WITH MAUREEN:
Ready to revolutionize your brand by mapping and mastering the brand growth levers your brand needs to get increased visibility, sales certainty and cash confidence? Schedule a strategy call.
✨ CONNECT WITH MAUREEN:
🖥 Website: Startward Consulting
📷 Instagram: Follow Me On Instagram
📷 Youtube: Subscribe To Youtube Channel
The podcast currently has 108 episodes available.