In this episode of Small Business School, I’m welcoming back my friend and messaging expert, Helen Thacker! We’re chatting all about what’s really been happening behind the scenes in both of our businesses over the past two years — and digging deep into why messaging is way more than just finding the "perfect words." Helen shares how powerful it can be when you stop chasing trends and numbers online, and start showing up with audacious authenticity. 

Key topics covered:

• Why fear of “being too much” is keeping you from truly connecting in your messaging
• How to simplify your messaging by focusing on connection, certainty, and authority
• Why messaging isn’t just about you — it’s the bridge between you and the people you serve
• The power of refining your messaging as you grow (and why it’s a skill you’ll keep building)
• What’s on the other side of finally showing up confidently as yourself in your business

If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to “say the right thing,” this one’s for you.

Helen invites you to check out the exclusive Messaging Vault where you’ll learn exactly what to say to magnetise premium clients and convert them faster, all happening weekly inside a private Telegram channel - and it’s completely FREE!

https://www.helenthacker.com/the-messaging-vault

Mentioned in this episode: Find your entrepreneurial soulmates. Join the exclusive community of Canadian women entrepreneurs. Imagine finding your Work Wives™ who share the same bold, ambitious, entrepreneurial goals.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__workwives.co&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=NgHx3ikc5TkuG2GbHk3F2xqAsEGb-mzfBI-Gys9vwYw&m=88CFq1oXxvHuveOHhLqQahTlm82SwWEfbi-P5aAdEDNKAzlUZcOm7G4LsPuYfzzq&s=ZGabyIGi8QeCQWYPVZP87NbEpvjTAj7omZneLouM2BQ&e=

Connect with Helen:

• Website: https://www.helenthackercoaching.com/
• Instagram: @helenthacker 

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

The School for Small Business Podcast is a proud member of the Female Alliance Media.

To learn more about Female Alliance Media and how they are elevating female voices or how they can support your show, visit femalealliancemedia.ca.

Head over to my website https://www.stacimillard.com/ to grab your FREE copy of my Profit Playbook and receive 30 innovative ways you can add more profit to your business AND the first step towards implementing these ideas in your business!

Welcome back to Small Business School! In this episode of Business Builders, we're diving into a super important (and often overlooked) part of your business: the client journey. Whether you're booking dream clients or still figuring out how to turn one-time buyers into loyal fans, this conversation is here to help. I walk you through how to audit the full client experience—from first click to final goodbye—and find the gaps that might be costing you repeat business, referrals, and growth.

It's not about doing more, it’s about doing what matters—and doing it better.

Key topics covered:

• Why your client journey matters more than ever in 2025
   (Hint: it's not just about retention—it's your brand, your growth, your legacy.)
• The 5 key stages of the client journey
   Awareness → Sales Process → Onboarding → Delivery → Offboarding
• How to look at your business with fresh eyes
• What happens when promises don’t match delivery
• Simple steps to start auditing and improving right now 

Challenge

Pick one stage of the client journey this week, walk through it like a customer, and note anything that feels clunky, unclear, or inconsistent. Then—take one action to fix it. That’s how we grow, friend—step by step.

Mentioned in this episode: If you are running a business in Canada and you need help with all the things accounting related, but more importantly understanding the numbers I invite you to check out https://thriveaccounting.co/

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

The School for Small Business Podcast is a proud member of the Female Alliance Media.

To learn more about Female Alliance Media and how they are elevating female voices or how they can support your show, visit femalealliancemedia.ca.

Head over to my website https://www.stacimillard.com/ to grab your FREE copy of my Profit Playbook and receive 30 innovative ways you can add more profit to your business AND the first step towards implementing these ideas in your business!

In this heart-filled, hotel-room-recorded episode, I sit down in person with Virginia from Acre75 Gathered—a subscription box packed with goods from Canadian small towns. What started on a 75-acre family farm has grown into a nationwide movement supporting artisans and makers in towns with fewer than 30,000 people. We talk about community, entrepreneurship, boundaries, mindset blocks, and why your story matters more than you think. If you’ve ever wanted to build a purpose-driven business or just needed a reminder that you’re not alone in the chaos of entrepreneurship—this one’s for you.

Key topics covered:

• How Virginia turned a farm-grown idea into a national Canadian subscription box business
• The powerful ripple effect of supporting small-town makers (and the stories behind them)
• Mindset work, therapy, and learning to become the voice of your own brand
• From burnout to boundaries: why Virginia pivoted to a subscription model for stability
• Real talk about human connection in business—from emails to actual phone calls

Don’t miss Virginia’s biggest lesson from being featured on CTV News, why comparison is the thief of joy and progress, and a sneak peek at the upcoming “S’mores and Sunshine” box!

Mentioned in this episode: Find your entrepreneurial soulmates. Join the exclusive community of Canadian women entrepreneurs. Imagine finding your Work Wives™ who share the same bold, ambitious, entrepreneurial goals.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__workwives.co&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=NgHx3ikc5TkuG2GbHk3F2xqAsEGb-mzfBI-Gys9vwYw&m=88CFq1oXxvHuveOHhLqQahTlm82SwWEfbi-P5aAdEDNKAzlUZcOm7G4LsPuYfzzq&s=ZGabyIGi8QeCQWYPVZP87NbEpvjTAj7omZneLouM2BQ&e=

Connect with Virginia:

• Website: https://acre75.ca/
• Instagram & Threads: @acre75.ca

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

The School for Small Business Podcast is a proud member of the Female Alliance Media.

To learn more about Female Alliance Media and how they are elevating female voices or how they can support your show, visit femalealliancemedia.ca.

Head over to my website https://www.stacimillard.com/ to grab your FREE copy of my Profit Playbook and receive 30 innovative ways you can add more profit to your business AND the first step towards implementing these ideas in your business!

Hey Small Business School listeners! If you’ve ever thought, “Why is this product-based business so dang hard?” — this one’s for you. I’ve been getting messages asking if I have advice for makers, resellers, and product-based entrepreneurs, and the answer is yes, absolutely. In this solo episode, I’m sharing what I’ve learned from running both service and product-based businesses — including where people get tripped up and how to build a business that’s actually sustainable (and profitable!).

Key topics covered:

• The three big levers in every business: overhead, cost of sales, and revenue — and how to manage them wisely
• Why cash flow is tricky in product-based businesses (and how it differs from service-based models)
• The power of visibility — and how marketing really is the name of the game
• How to think about inventory and pricing if you’re a maker vs. a reseller
• The long game of getting your investment back — and why presales and small-batch testing are your best friends

Running a product-based business isn’t for the faint of heart, but with the right strategy and clarity around your value, you can find your lane. Let’s get into it. 

Mentioned in this episode: If you are running a business in Canada and you need help with all the things accounting related, but more importantly understanding the numbers I invite you to check out https://thriveaccounting.co/

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

The School for Small Business Podcast is a proud member of the Female Alliance Media.

To learn more about Female Alliance Media and how they are elevating female voices or how they can support your show, visit femalealliancemedia.ca.

Head over to my website https://www.stacimillard.com/ to grab your FREE copy of my Profit Playbook and receive 30 innovative ways you can add more profit to your business AND the first step towards implementing these ideas in your business!

Hey friend, welcome back to Business Builders! This episode hits close to home for me — because I’m living it right alongside you. We're diving into a topic every business owner wrestles with: time management. Not the boring, corporate kind — the real, messy, "why am I so busy but nothing’s moving forward?" kind. I’m sharing what I’ve learned (and am still learning) while scaling two businesses, including the real cost of staying in task-mode instead of CEO-mode.

Key topics covered:

• Why being busy doesn’t always mean being productive (been there!)
• The five key categories your time falls into — and which ones are slowing you down
• How to audit your time (without dreading it) and use it to make better decisions
• Guardrails that protect your time — from office hours to team decision-making
• The power of elimination, automation, and delegation to reclaim your calendar

If you’ve ever ended your day wondering what you even got done — this episode’s for you. Let’s get you back into the driver’s seat of your business. 💪

Challenge

1. Track your time for 2–3 days — write down everything you're doing during the day.
   
   
2. Highlight tasks that didn’t require your unique expertise as the CEO.
   
   
3. Choose one task to either eliminate, automate, or delegate.
   
   
4. Reflect: Are you spending most of your time firefighting and doing, or leading, creating, and thinking?
   
   
5. Make one small shift to start reclaiming your time and aligning your calendar with your vision.

Mentioned in this episode: If you are running a business in Canada and you need help with all the things accounting related, but more importantly understanding the numbers I invite you to check out https://thriveaccounting.co/

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

The School for Small Business Podcast is a proud member of the Female Alliance Media.

To learn more about Female Alliance Media and how they are elevating female voices or how they can support your show, visit femalealliancemedia.ca.

Head over to my website https://www.stacimillard.com/ to grab your FREE copy of my Profit Playbook and receive 30 innovative ways you can add more profit to your business AND the first step towards implementing these ideas in your business!

This special episode of Small Business School was recorded live at the High Vibe Women event—and let me tell you, the energy in the room was electric! I had the absolute joy of sitting down with Julie Cole, co-founder of Mabel’s Labels, mom of six, bestselling author, and all-around force. She shared how a product idea born out of her own family chaos turned into a beloved brand known across North America. We dove into her story, her mindset, and the lessons she’s learned about building a business with heart (and humour).

Key topics covered:

• How Mabel’s Labels went from a basement startup to a multimillion-dollar brand
• What it really looks like to grow a business while raising six kids (and why Julie gave up mom guilt 5 kids ago!)
• Visibility, community, and building a brand people connect with—especially in today’s noisy world
• The importance of delegating, hiring help, and knowing when to get out of your own way
• Productivity hacks, mindset shifts, and prepping for an exit—even if you're not there yet

Julie’s real-talk and unapologetic approach will leave you inspired and ready to take your next step—whatever that looks like for you. Whether you’re just starting or scaling, this one’s full of gold.

Connect with Julie:

Website: https://mabelslabels.ca/

Instagram: @juliecoleinc

High Vibe Women: Empowering Events for High Vibe Female Entrepreneurs 

Website: https://www.highvibewomen.ca/

Instagram: @highvibe.women

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

The School for Small Business Podcast is a proud member of the Female Alliance Media.

To learn more about Female Alliance Media and how they are elevating female voices or how they can support your show, visit femalealliancemedia.ca.

Head over to my website https://www.stacimillard.com/ to grab your FREE copy of my Profit Playbook and receive 30 innovative ways you can add more profit to your business AND the first step towards implementing these ideas in your business!

In this episode of Business Builders, I’m sharing a little pep talk I honestly needed for myself too. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck in the weeds, or like your team can’t move without you — this one’s for you. We’re talking about the shift from being the do-it-all operator to becoming the strategic CEO your business actually needs. I’ll walk you through what it means to delegate with confidence, build trust in your systems, and finally stop being the glue that’s holding everything together (in the not-so-good way).

Key topics covered:

• How to know if you might be the bottleneck in your business
• Simple mindset shifts to move from operator to true visionary leader
• Tips for delegating with trust (not guilt!) and empowering your team
• Creating repeatable systems that let you scale without cloning yourself
• The “Not Me List” homework that’ll free up your time — starting this week

If you've ever felt like you're the only one who can do things "right" — this episode will lovingly challenge that belief. Let’s grow through it together. 💪

Challenge

Make a “Not Me” list. Identify 3 tasks you’re currently doing that someone else could take over. Choose one and document or delegate it this week.

Mentioned in this episode: If you are running a business in Canada and you need help with all the things accounting related, but more importantly understanding the numbers I invite you to check out https://thriveaccounting.co/

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

The School for Small Business Podcast is a proud member of the Female Alliance Media.

To learn more about Female Alliance Media and how they are elevating female voices or how they can support your show, visit femalealliancemedia.ca.

Head over to my website https://www.stacimillard.com/ to grab your FREE copy of my Profit Playbook and receive 30 innovative ways you can add more profit to your business AND the first step towards implementing these ideas in your business!

In this episode of Small Business School, I sit down with Puja Malhotra, brand strategist and founder of ROOP Creative Agency. We get real about what it actually means to show up authentically online, why branding is more than just visuals, and how you can build a business that aligns with your life—not just your to-do list. This convo is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt pressure to be louder, do more, or market to everyone. Puja brings the calm, thoughtful vibes and major wisdom on how to stand out by being exactly who you are.

Key topics covered:

• Why branding is really a self-discovery journey (and why it’s okay to feel a little lost at times)
• How introverts can show up online in a way that feels right—without faking it
• Why personal and cultural identity play a big role in how you build a brand
• The power of getting clear on your “why” before diving into a full brand strategy
• How branding isn’t about constant rebranding, but building a solid foundation you can expand from

Mentioned in this episode: Find your entrepreneurial soulmates. Join the exclusive community of Canadian women entrepreneurs. Imagine finding your Work Wives™ who share the same bold, ambitious, entrepreneurial goals.

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__workwives.co&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=NgHx3ikc5TkuG2GbHk3F2xqAsEGb-mzfBI-Gys9vwYw&m=88CFq1oXxvHuveOHhLqQahTlm82SwWEfbi-P5aAdEDNKAzlUZcOm7G4LsPuYfzzq&s=ZGabyIGi8QeCQWYPVZP87NbEpvjTAj7omZneLouM2BQ&e=

Connect with Puja

• Website: ROOP Creative Agency
• Instagram & Threads: @roopcreativeagency

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

The School for Small Business Podcast is a proud member of the Female Alliance Media.

To learn more about Female Alliance Media and how they are elevating female voices or how they can support your show, visit femalealliancemedia.ca.

Head over to my website https://www.stacimillard.com/ to grab your FREE copy of my Profit Playbook and receive 30 innovative ways you can add more profit to your business AND the first step towards implementing these ideas in your business!

In this episode of Small Business School, I’m joined by the brilliant Quinn Tempest—business and brand strategist, founder of Create Your Purpose, and all-around champion for purpose-led entrepreneurship. We dive deep into burnout, business evolution, and what it really means to grow a sustainable business that doesn’t drain the life out of you. If you’ve ever hit a wall in your business and thought, “What now?”—this conversation is for you.

Key topics covered:

• Why burnout isn’t always a red flag—sometimes, it’s a signal that you’re ready to evolve
• The real difference between hustle that helps vs. hustle that hurts
• Moving from “doing it all” to stepping into your role as the leader of your business
• How to refine your vision, reset your purpose, and reclaim your energy
• Why nuance in business advice matters more than ever (spoiler: it’s not one-size-fits-all)

Plus, Quinn shares a free tool to help you set purposeful priorities and make decisions with clarity (check it out at quinntempest.com/priority)

Connect with Quinn

• Website: https://quinntempest.com/
• Instagram: @quinn.tempest

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

The School for Small Business Podcast is a proud member of the Female Alliance Media.

To learn more about Female Alliance Media and how they are elevating female voices or how they can support your show, visit femalealliancemedia.ca.

Head over to my website https://www.stacimillard.com/ to grab your FREE copy of my Profit Playbook and receive 30 innovative ways you can add more profit to your business AND the first step towards implementing these ideas in your business!

Welcome back to Small Business School! In this episode of Business Builders, we’re diving into a topic that’s going to hit home for a lot of entrepreneurs: creating predictable revenue. If you’ve ever felt like your income is a rollercoaster—big sales one month, crickets the next—you’re not alone. I’ve been there too. We’re diving into the importance of predictable revenue, the three best ways to create consistent income, and how to stabilize your cash flow for long-term growth.

Key topics covered:

• The truth about unpredictable revenue and why it holds your business back
• The power of predictable income and how it improves decision-making and reduces stress
• 3 main types of predictable revenue streams: subscriptions/retainers, evergreen offers, and repeat client relationships
• Real-world examples of how ANY business—product or service-based—can create stable income
• Actionable steps to analyze your income and start building a revenue strategy that smooths out the highs and lows

Challenge:

Analyze your past 12 months of revenue and identify one way to make it more predictable—whether through a subscription model, an evergreen offer, or better client retention.

Staci's Links:
Instagram. Website.

The School for Small Business Podcast is a proud member of the Female Alliance Media.

To learn more about Female Alliance Media and how they are elevating female voices or how they can support your show, visit femalealliancemedia.ca.

Head over to my website https://www.stacimillard.com/ to grab your FREE copy of my Profit Playbook and receive 30 innovative ways you can add more profit to your business AND the first step towards implementing these ideas in your business!