In this installment of Business Builders, we are diving deep into a crucial mindset shift every scaling business owner needs, focusing on profit over revenue. 
It’s easy to get caught up chasing more sales, but what really matters is how much you’re actually keeping in the business. Let’s put our CEO hats on and get real about profitability!

Key topics covered:

• Revenue vs. Profit: Why growing revenue isn’t always the win it seems if profit margins remain razor-thin.
• Understanding the Three Pillars of Profit: overhead, cost of sales, and revenue.
• How to adjust pricing and streamline operations for better margins.
• Why keeping existing customers is more profitable than constantly chasing new ones.
• It’s not about how much you make, but how much you keep of what you make! 

Challenge:  Do a profit vs revenue check from last month, include everything, including your salary/what you paid yourself!

Then, figure out what adjustments you need to make for next month to your three profit pillars. Keep doing this every month until you start to see the shifts you need!

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!

Ever wondered what it’s like to go from solo entrepreneurship to a thriving business partnership? In this episode, I sit down with Dana Clark, founder of Cool to Connect, and Portia Chambers, founder of The We Experience. These two incredible women built their own businesses and later joined forces to create We Connect. From complete strangers to business partners and best friends, they share how prioritizing relationship-building set the foundation for their success.
Together we dive into their entrepreneurial journeys, navigating boundaries, and why being bold in networking can be a game-changer!

Key topics: 

• How Dana and Portia started their businesses and what inspired them to take the leap into entrepreneurship.
• The mindset behind taking risks, overcoming failures, and staying persistent in business.
• Why following passion is key and how Portia learned to let go of things that no longer serve her.
• How Dana and Portia’s collaboration started and why their complementary strengths make their partnership so powerful.
• The importance of intentionality in networking and collaboration.
• Tips on fostering authentic connections online and offline.
• Learning to embrace rejection and use "no" as a tool for growth.

Connect with Portia and Dana and look out on their socials for upcoming WE Connect events!

Portia’s Links:
Instagram
The We Experience
The We Experience Instagram
THIS IS WE Podcast

Dana’s Links:
Instagram
Cool To Connect
Cool To Connect Instagram

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 the Business Builders series, we're diving into the comparison trap, that sneaky mindset challenge that can slow you down while scaling your business. If you've ever found yourself looking at others and wondering why they seem to be growing faster, you're not alone. Today, we're tackling how to stay focused on your own scaling journey without getting too distracted by what others are doing.

Key topics covered:

• The dangers of comparing your backstage to someone else’s highlight reel, especially on social media.
• How reactive decisions based on comparison can drain your energy, creativity, and strategic focus.
• Practical strategies to set your own success metrics and audit your information inputs.
• Key questions to help snap back to your path, like “Is that business even on the same path as me?” and “Am I making decisions based on fear or strategy?”
• Scaling your business is challenging enough without the added weight of comparison. Stop comparing your backstage to someone else’s highlight reel and remember, everyone moves at their own pace. 

You're on your own journey, and that's exactly where you're meant to be!

Challenge: Identify an area in your business where you are comparing yourself and where that comparison is distracting you, and ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. Is that business even on the same path as me? 
2. What’s actually working for right now? 
3. and am I making decisions based on fear or strategy?

Then write down 1 metric that actually contributes to your growth and commit to watching that instead of watching others. 

Mentioned In Episode:
This Mother Means Business
The Gap and The Gain:

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!

On today’s episode of Small Business School, I am so excited to chat with Kareen Walsh, a recovering people pleaser turned alignment activist and seven-figure entrepreneur. Kareen shares her journey of integrating life and business, breaking free from burnout, and designing a business that fuels her life. 

If you're looking to scale your business with balance and intention or you just need a nudge to start asking bigger questions, this episode is for you!

Topics Covered:

• Why aligning your business and life is essential for avoiding burnout and achieving fulfillment.
• Kareen’s transition from corporate to entrepreneurship and her “evolve methodology” for scaling.
• Building a seven-figure business in six months while working only 10% of the time.
• The importance of detaching from your business and designing clear exits or growth strategies.
• Kareen shares how she built her consultancy by leveraging relationships and asking existing clients, "What else can I provide for you?"
• Exploring the importance of understanding what freedom looks like and ensuring your goals align with your values.
• How asking the right questions can accelerate growth.
• Reflecting on who you need to become to lead your business in a way that feels authentic and sustainable.

Business growth isn’t about having all the answers but knowing where to seek them out!

Connect with Kareen:
Instagram
LinkedIn
Download the ‘Hey Kareen’ app: Your entrepreneurial guide on the go!
Monthly FREE Retrospective Call

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 Business Builders! In this episode of Small Business School, we're diving into the smart way to scale your business. You don’t want to just grow for growth's sake, you need to know the right time to expand and the time to stabilize. If you've ever felt torn between chasing new opportunities and maintaining your current operations, this one's for you. Let's put on that CEO hat and get strategic about growth!

Key topics covered:

• How to recognize when it's time to scale and when it’s time to pause and stabilize your business.
• Understanding cash flow, profit margins, and how to avoid debt traps while growing.
• Evaluating your team, leadership, and operational systems to support sustainable growth.
• Knowing when industry shifts or customer demands signal it's time to expand.
• Scaling is about the right strategic moves at the right time, not constant growth.

Challenge: 

Take 10 minutes this week to understand and evaluate where your business is at and decide if you're in a season to scale or solidify. Ask yourself if you are showing up and leading your business in the way it needs right now for the season that it is in?

Mentioned In Episode:
This Mother Means Business

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 today’s exciting installment of Small Business School, I am joined by Palak Dave, a mission-driven entrepreneur, experience expert, speaker and author of Beautiful Everydays: A Guide to Living in the Here and Now. Palak is a former award-winning marketer with senior roles at Toronto International Film Festival and Indigo Books and Music, Palak founded Embiria in 2017, which has since evolved to Embiria Social Club, a community helping women feel more fulfilled in their everyday lives. She has curated over 350 events, partnering with global brands like Lululemon and Bumble. Palak is passionate about championing a movement towards everyday fulfillment and real-life connections over digital distractions.

During our conversation we hit on creating deeper connections, breaking free from the hustle culture, how to make friends as adults and redefining what it means to feel fulfilled. 

Key Points Covered:

• Palak’s transition from corporate success to entrepreneurship and the pivotal role of community in her journey.
• How Palak curates intentional, sensory-driven experiences that go beyond traditional event planning.
• The power of personal touches like handwritten notes and fostering deeper connections.
• Cultivating adult friendships and the parallels between forming friendships and dating.
• Why slowing down and prioritizing yourself can lead to breakthroughs in life and business.
• The importance of doing things for joy instead of always seeking productivity or monetization.
• How Embiria Social Club helps women foster meaningful, offline connections.

Tune into this episode! You’ll leave feeling motivated to build deeper relationships in your personal and professional life!

Connect with Palak:

Palak's Instagram
Embiria's Website
Join The Embiria Social Club
Beautiful Everydays on Amazon (US)
Beautiful Everydays in Indigo (Canada)

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 Business Builders! In this episode we are talking about evolving your offers. Do your offers still serve your business the way they should? As your business grows, not everything should come along for the ride. Today, we’re breaking down how to assess, tweak, or cut what you're selling so you can scale with clarity and confidence.

Key topics covered:

• How to assess profitability and scalability in your offers
• Why alignment with your vision is key to sustainable growth
• Understanding customer demand and market trends
• Making smart decisions about what to refine, raise prices on, or retire

Cutting back isn’t about loss, it’s about making room for what truly moves your business forward! 

Tune in to start streamlining your success!

Challenge: 

1. Take inventory of your offers.
2. Make a list for each offer of what you're selling, how much profit it is creating, and how much effort it takes to deliver. Essentially is it profitable, scalable, aligned, and in demand?
3. Identify one offer to tweak, scale back, or get rid of and begin that process in order to focus on what you can scale! 

Mentioned In Episode:
This Mother Means Business

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! Today I am excited to chat with Jamie Cornish, co-founder of TGIM Local, a business coaching and consulting company where she helps entrepreneurs grow through powerful marketing strategies and paid advertising. Jamie has a background in direct response marketing, and has helped many business owners simplify their marketing and attract their dream clients.

Together we discuss the importance of understanding your marketing spend, leveraging your time, and mastering the fundamentals to grow your business. We dive into why marketing is an investment and how learning to do it yourself can save money and deliver long-term results!

Topics Covered:

• Jamie’s journey from brand photographer to marketing agency co-owner.
• Why direct response marketing is critical for tracking success and improving campaigns.
• The importance of authority marketing and pre-selling through strategic content.
• Calculating lifetime value and customer acquisition costs to run effective campaigns.
• The value of investing in client acquisition and understanding your marketing ROI.
• How to leverage your time effectively and know when to delegate marketing tasks.
• Having a clear message and core values to connect with your audience.
• Why marketing is a fundamental skill every business owner needs to master.

Having a solid marketing strategy in place can help you scale and save money, all while building stronger connections with your audience. 

Reach out to Jamie on Instagram to connect more with her!

Jamie’s Links:
Instagram
TGIM Local Website

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 Business Builder owners! Part 4 of this series is all about stepping into your CEO role and carving out the time you need to focus on the big picture. We’re talking about how to break free from the daily grind, think strategically, and lead your business toward long-term growth. 

Let’s dive in and start building that CEO muscle!

Key topics covered:

• The difference between working in your business vs. working on it. Why being stuck in the daily grind limits growth and how to shift into a strategic mindset.
• Tips for blocking non-negotiable CEO time in your calendar and making it a priority.
• Visualizing yourself as the leader of every department and asking the big questions about what’s working and what’s next.
• Practical strategies for big-picture thinking.
• How often are you stuck in the daily grind?
• Creating time for big-picture thinking isn’t a luxury, it’s necessary for scaling your business, and it all starts with just a bit of dedicated time. 
• Protect that CEO time, practice showing up differently, and watch the ripple effect it has on your business. You’ve got this! Until next time, keep building and leading with intention.

Challenge: 

1. Block 1 hour of dedicated time in your schedule to be the CEO your business needs.
2. Then define your business top priority (two max). 
3. Remove distractions and think about what you can do to move that priority forward.

Mentioned In Episode:
This Mother Means Business

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! Today, I’m diving into a question from our community: is brick and mortar still worth it? 

I don’t think brick and mortar is dead, but as with everything in your small business, it’s important to consider the pros and cons intentionally. In this episode I’ll break down what I see happening with in-person spaces, why human connection is key, and how to decide if a physical location is right for you!

Key topics covered:

• Why human connection might lead to a resurgence of in-person businesses despite the rise of AI and automation.
• The financial pros and cons of operating a brick-and-mortar location versus going online.
• Creative alternatives to full-time physical spaces.
• How to evaluate your business needs and strategically decide whether to open or move away from a physical space.

It’s all about testing and tracking and finding what works for your business and your customers. Whether you’re considering going fully online, staying physical, or finding a hybrid model, thoughtful strategy and data driven decision are key to making it work!

Mentioned In Episode:
This Mother Means Business

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!