The Simplifiers Podcast

Let's face it, fear is SCARY. It's tricky to know what to do when you're caught up in a moment of panic or anxiety. Your heart is racing, your palms are sweaty, and your inner voice is giving you 80 billion reasons why you shouldn't #DoTheThing. So, what do you do in that moment?? Let's simplify it.

My special guest today is a health coach who believes your fears can make you fierce. In our conservation, she shows us how to turn common obstacles into seeds for growth.

In her words, "To unravel your stories around fear, you need to know what makes you feel uncomfortable." Start there and hopefully today's conversation will plant a seed for a new beginning.

Koya Webb simplifies how to overcome your obstacles and face your fears.

• The first few steps to overcome your obstacles; identify your conscious and unconscious fears
• How to NOT fall into the trap of victimhood, but instead view yourself as a 'creator'
• Koya's beliefs on how your fear can truly make you fierce… and why that's a good thing!
• Why she believes "There is freedom in discipline"
• • How to redefine the word "discipline" to be something positive and uplifting
• Why Koya believes that 'Breathwork' can really help to shift our mindset and calm our fears when we're going through big change
• • How to do Breathwork and when
• How to stop the vicious cycle of self-sabotage - what are the warning signs and how to flip it

So, if you're faced with a massive obstacle this week or just want to dial down the anxiety and fear a smidge, I hope you'll find my conversation with Koya a sacred gift from me to you.

Remember, you got this… one step at a time.

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/koya-webb-how-to-overcome-obstacles

This will help to simplify what a unique selling proposition is, aka. your USP. It's a business term that gets tossed around a lot and if you've ever been like, "Uhh Mary, what's a USP again?" I'm here to break it all down and simplify it for you.

Earlier this week, I spoke to Leonie Dawson all about how to market yourself without social media. I was blown away when I heard her revenue figures. She's running a multi-million dollar business with clients worldwide and only working (on average) 10 hours a week.

Holy cow! Leonie is living proof that this is possible without driving yourself into the ground. Something she's doing is working, and I think a large part of it, is that she's nailed her unique selling proposition.

So let's break that down...

You can do this, I believe in you.

It's time to SIMPLIFY.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/what-is-a-unique-selling-proposition

Do you think (in this day and age) it's possible to market your business without social media? If you had asked me two years ago, I would have vehemently said, "Heck NO! Social media is the lifeblood to stay connected, and your business would DIE without it!"

But nowadays, I'm starting to question if that fundamental belief is actually true… or not.

My special guest today is an international best-selling author who's defying it all. She's running a multi-million dollar business and only working 10 hours a week. During these 10 hours, Leonie is not wasting a ton of time on social media.

Leonie Dawson simplifies how to market your business without social media.

• Why more and more businesses are saying NO to social media these days
• Why Leonie believes businesses should focus on growing their email list instead
• What is working for Leonie right now, as she continues to sell her workbooks, online courses and services across the world
• Leonie's thoughts on deactivating social media accounts or taking periodic social media sabbaticals
• Leonie's other favorite ways to market your business that don't require the mindless death scroll of social media

If you're feeling burnt out and exhausted from posting on social media all-the-FREAKIN-time, girl I feel ya.

In this episode, we pull back the magic curtain and get to the bottom of HOW Leonie avoids the social media trap. We also learn WHY she made a big shift in how she approaches social media marketing.

So grab your journal, take notes, as this one is guaranteed to spark a new idea for you!

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/leonie-dawson-marketing-without-social-media

Are you an event planner and approaching burnout?

My conversation with Jessica Zimmerman earlier this week brought up a lot of memories of working as an event planner; the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Fun fact: for the first 11 years of the business, The Simplifiers were a collective of wedding and event planners. We produced large-scale, non-traditional events back in the states. And what a wild ride it was!

Listen in to today's episode to get all of the details on the reality of the events industry and my best tips to avoid burnout as an event planner.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/event-planner-burnout

Have you ever thought about starting a floral business in the events industry? If you're a floral designer (or a creative who aspires to do this line of work), you know it's so much more than just getting to play with pretty flowers. There's payroll, contract negotiations, hiring/firing, logistics, high stress, long hours. It's way more than you think. If you love flowers, but are struggling to turn your passion into profit, this episode is especially for you. Our guest today is the creator of the online course, The Business Behind the Blooms, which releases in September 2019.

Jessica Zimmerman simplifies how to run a thriving floral business

Today, Jessica shares a few key tips in how to run a floral business, and how to help it grow and thrive.

In this episode, you will learn: • Where to begin if you want to start a new floral design business • the first few steps necessary to make it happen • Why it's so important to decide early on… is this a business, or is it a hobby? • Common mistakes people make in the first five years of their new floral business, taking a deep dive into… • how to price yourself for profit, including design, setup and delivery fees • how to create healthy boundaries with your prospects and your existing clients • how to keep your business and home life separate • How to reduce email stress and take back control of your inbox, as an events professional • How to build a business with a strong foundation • including creating legal contracts • how to set revenue goals • … and so much more

Florists, event designers and creatives: grab your journal! I'm willing to bet you'll take copious notes while listening to this one. #DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/jessica-zimmerman-how-to-run-a-floral-business

Recently, I've started to realize how much it takes to make a big change in your fundamental belief systems. Earlier this week, I spoke with Erica Courdae all about how to champion diversity in the workplace, which sparked this thought for me…

At times, there's a gap you have to jump, to get from where you are now to where you want to be. But how do you make the leap?

It takes a shift in three ways, and here's how to simplify that…

1. Shift your mindset to handle change

2. Shift your environment to make the change

3. What about your daily choices?

Listen in for all of the details!

You can do this, I believe in you.

It's time to SIMPLIFY.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/how-to-handle-big-change

Diversity… not an easy topic to simplify, but a necessary conversation to have. It boggles my mind⁠—in this day and age⁠—that there are still conferences where the majority of the keynote speakers and panelists are white men. Or worse… when you see a panel of men talking about women's issues!!?!

Surely we could do better, right?

Instead, we could champion diversity. In our own offices, the conferences we attend, the associations we join, and the social media we create and consume. It all starts with us, becoming more aware, more educated, and then doing something positive about it. This is where growth happens. My guest today is here to help that along...

Erica Courdae simplifies how to champion diversity in the workplace

• Why it's important for small business owners to talk about diversity, and do it with courage, empathy, inquiry and love
• Simple, little shifts you could make in the workplace that'll ripple out and make a big impact for women of color (WOC)
• Erica's simple process for change
• Realize you want to make changes
• Set goals of how you want to change
• Find someone to support you through those changes
• Discuss how you're feeling to make sure you're staying aligned with your goals
• Uncover where you needed more clarity
• Feel yourself expand into the best version of yourself today
• And then, start the process all over again... because this is a journey not a destination
• Plus, Erica shares her ideas on how women of color can be more present and "stay in the room"

As a bonus for wellness practitioners, Erica shares her ideas on how to increase diversity in yoga studios and self-care retreats.

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/erica-courdae-how-to-champion-diversity

What does it really look like to live with less? As in day-to-day actual specifics.

Earlier this week, I spoke with Miranda Anderson of Live Free Creative all about how to be a minimalist. I loved hearing about her family's year-long experiment of not buying anything new, beyond food and consumables.

Like me, Miranda has kids. And for a hot second, she too lived in Austin, Texas⁠; land of mega 'McMansion' style homes and big-box stores. These stores are chock FULL of every knick-knack, paddy-whack, and plastic thing of your dreams (to fill your home with!).

But how do we take what she taught us, and actually put it into practice?

Today I share my 3 simple steps to live with less.

1. Inquire: Do you need this?

2. Follow a simple rule - 'one for one'

3. Release the old, make space for the new

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/how-to-live-with-less

Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to be a minimalist? To live with less clutter, less stuff, less things holding you down and holding you back? I don't know about you, but simplifying down sounds pretty good to me. Clearing out, letting go, and decluttering once a quarter - that's right up my alley. Count me in.

But could you sustain being a minimalist every single day? Especially if you have kids who seem to need a mountain of stuff? Could you go an entire year without buying anything new? My guest and her family went an entire year without buying stuff and the experience transformed her household completely.

Miranda Anderson simplifies how to be a minimalist through intentional shopping

• How Miranda defines 'practical minimalism' and how it influences how she runs her business and home
• Why cultivating gratitude is a critical step in being a minimalist
• The (surprising) lessons Miranda learned from a year of not shopping
• How she taught her children (and herself!) the power of patience through this experiment
• How Miranda determines whether to buy something… or not
• How to replace 'retail therapy' with something healthier, as a self-care practice

Miranda's memoir, More Than Enough: How One Family Cultivated A More Abundant Life Through A Year Of Practical Minimalism, a fascinating read. After reading it I just knew I had to chat with her on the podcast all about it. She shows us how we can be minimalists, but in a practical and more realistic way.

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/miranda-anderson-how-to-be-a-minimalist

What do you do when you're emotionally depleted and you just need a break? Woof! We've all been there before. Heck, you might be feeling it right now...

The alarm clock goes off. You open your eyes and feel just as exhausted as when you went to sleep. Your brain starts to spin out of control, thinking about the slew of 80 billion things that lie ahead for you. People wanting you to do stuff. Emails waiting for answers. Laundry that needs folding. And a never ending supply of tasks that need to get done… yesterday.

The problem is, your inner love tank (as Dr. Chapman would say) is teetering on empty. The red light is blinking out of control, and you're emotionally spent. You've got nothing left to give and you feel like a Mack truck just ran you over. What do you do then?

My conversation with Jennifer Perkins earlier this week, triggered this thought of the day. Change is hard, and it's also emotionally exhausting!

When Carrie Contey was a guest on The Simplifiers Podcast, she taught us that "Self-care can be broken down into micro, medium and mega moments."

This episode is simply a brainstorm of ideas of what you could do to replenish yourself when you're feeling emotionally depleted. These ideas, when executed, can help rejuvenate you emotionally, physically and mentally. Listen in to find out what's working for me these days…

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/emotionally-depleted