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We’re coming up to the beginning of a new year. I often hear “I will when” around this time of the year. 

Oh, but you’re waiting for the economy to get better, holding on until the new year, or hoping the timing will be better when the kids are grown. There’s so many excuses to not do it. The question I have to ask you is, “If not now, when?” 

The “I’ll do this later” mindset quickly turns into procrastination. That’s exactly when we lose the opportunities that are present to us.

Look back on 2025. Were you in your comfort zone the whole time? We get so comfortable with just being comfortable. We don’t grow. We’ve stopped remembering why we do it. Or maybe it’s not important to us anymore. 

Our competitors aren’t slowing down. They still have their marketing. They’re not stopping their lead gen. If we pause and don’t keep that momentum going, our competitors will lap us (and no one wants that!). 

The Kickstart Lab 2026 can help you get out of your comfort zone. This is a 90-day block where we review what’s worked, what didn’t, and why, and clarify what we want for 2026.

Success leaves clues. Follow them so you can achieve what you want to achieve in 2026. We kick off December 1st, so grab your spot here: https://marshallstern.net/landing/2026-kickstart 

Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/

Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup

Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session

I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

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This might be the shortest episode of the Stern Truth yet, and maybe even one of the most important.

2026 is right around the corner. This is your wake-up call. It’s a Stern Truth, and it’s saying, “It’s not your goals that are causing you to fail; it’s the unmanaged chaos in your business.” 

I’m introducing you to the Kickstart Growth Lab 2026. It’s a new six-week group experience to build a powerful 90-day growth plan. Kickstart will give you the momentum, accountability, and consistency to move forward.

We kick off December 1st, and seating is limited. But those of you who sign up first can get the fast-action price, so grab your spot here: https://marshallstern.net/landing/2026-kickstart 

Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/

Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup

Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session

I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

Get in touch in the comments or head to...
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Grit. Determination. A little bit of delusion. These are the things that our guest, Melissa Guenette, says help make businesses successful. On the other side of the coin, self-doubt was one of the things that Melissa initially faced when she created her company, A-List Media Solutions. But she didn’t let that stop her from growing. 

Melissa also started her business quite suddenly, without laying down a foundation first. As we all know, small businesses have to strike when the iron is hot, and Melissa was no different. She faced a challenging start, but when you grow a business, that’s the only guarantee.

Trial and error was the name of the game when starting A-List. That helped her to focus on what she does best, leveraging clear and concise messaging to get more traditional media exposure. She also believes in the power of experiential marketing to make that personal, real-life connection, one that can’t be replicated online. 

We discuss how to make processes that make your clients' lives easier—once you make those processes, they’ll keep coming back to you. Like I said in Episode 34, the best businesses are the ones that make it easy to give them your money. 

Melissa gives so many great golden nuggets during this episode. One of them is to slow down and don’t take on ALL the clients you can. Develop foundations to expand your team and your business. Another is to have a great media kit to send to other businesses. 

We even found we had a shared golden nugget—keep track of your wins. Whether it’s a WINS folder on a drive or a handwritten Brag Book, just note them. Write down those wins. It keeps limiting beliefs at bay and shows you how amazing your business truly is. 

Curious about what Melissa does? Contact her at [email protected]  

Get inspired and stay accountable with the Momentum Accountability group. Email me at [email protected] to join as a guest for no cost. See more here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/page/momentum 

Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/

Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup

Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session

I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

Get in touch in the comments or head to...
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What holds you back in your business? I bet that the first thing that comes to mind is money. But often, that’s not what’s really holding you back. In today’s episode, I go over the two things that stall your business - perfectionism and procrastination.

As a small business owner, of course you want everything to be perfect. You want your business to look great online. You want your processes completely finished. You want to give your clients the perfect product or service. But that’s playing it too safe, and that’s not realistic.

Holding onto that perfectionist mindset so tightly will actually end up killing the momentum that you’ve built. It stalls your business growth. It costs you time and money. And it will eventually cost you opportunities.

Then that perfectionism can show up as procrastination, delaying until things are exactly in the right place. Entrepreneurs have a perfection problem, and I know how to help this - just start.

Tune in to learn how to change that mindset, even when you don’t feel quite ready. “Done” is always better than “perfect.”

Learn how to get out of perfection and into action with the Momentum Accountability group. Email me at [email protected] to join as a guest for no cost. See more about the group here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/page/momentum 

Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/

Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup

Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session

I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

Get in touch in the comments or head to...
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In this powerful episode, I sit down with Elle Jimeno of Ellevate Creative. I have to say, this conversation absolutely blew me away. 

Elle shares her journey of building a business after being laid off. Her former employer actually ended up becoming her first client. Talk about life handing you lemons! 

The real, unfiltered challenges of being a small business owner while raising children don't seem to be obstacles for Elle. It’s more like a guiding force and an opportunity to be a role model not only for her children but for herself as well. 

One of the biggest golden nuggets from this episode is Elle's perspective on discomfort. As a natural introvert, she pushed herself to network and connect with her community. It’s her desire to get out of discomfort, she says, that fuels her every single day. 

Every entrepreneur faces the “struggle of the juggle.” Whether that’s personal challenges or showing up as a business leader, Elle’s honest approach and passion are undeniable in this episode.

Connect with Elle here:
Website: https://ellevatemybiz.com/
Instagram: @ellevatemybiz
Email: [email protected]

Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/

Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup

Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session

I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

Get in touch in the comments or head to...
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It’s another entrepreneur deep dive in this Business Therapy Thursday session. On this episode, we sit down with JC Valeros to see where her blocks are and how we can unblock them.

JC had been in the world of business operations for years. She launched her new business last year. When I ask JC what she thought was holding her back, her answer was the lack of belief in herself.

JC tells us how it starts with doubt, and it goes further down this rabbit hole of uncertainty. Life got challenging for her, and she started to think about her wants and identity, and with that came the fear. Like with other Business Therapy sessions, I remind her about going back to her “why.” 

Before our session, she created an in depth plan for her business, something that needs consistency. And using a calendar to time-block and schedule her day is something JC has committed to doing. It might seem simple, but it helps her stay consistent. 

We touch on a few action items that she can do to support her business launch in the next month. We also go over her hopes for what her business will look like a month from now.

The lack of belief is something I commonly hear in these Business Therapy Thursday sessions and in my Momentum group sessions. It’s the idea of “I don’t know if I can do this.” So, if you’re feeling this way, please remember that it’s so normal. Reach out to me at [email protected] if you’re interested in joining our supportive Momentum business owners’ group.

Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/

Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup

Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session

I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

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Before I recorded this episode, I was in a Momentum Accountability group session. This group of business owners always amazes me with their support and their stories. This session was no different and actually had me change gears about the topic of the episode.

The conversation we had was around time blocking, boundaries, and being intentional with your time. Specifically, saying “no.”

One of our members was having to cancel plans to service their client. This member didn’t want to say “no” because they thought they were missing out on an opportunity. 

The Stern Truth is, if we’re always saying “yes” to everything, it prevents us from getting where we want to be. It pulls us in the opposite direction. We overpromise. We overcommit. And then we burn out. 

My own golden nugget that I always come back to is, what’s your why? Why did you start your business? Flexibility, or maybe freedom? How flexible or free are you if you’re always saying “yes”?

It is possible to say “no” and still transform your business. The next time an opportunity comes up, ask yourself if it’s in line with what you truly want, knowing what fits. That's having a real business mindset.

Our Momentum Accountability is a group of incredible, supportive business owners that meets twice a month. For more information, visit https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/page/momentum

Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/

Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup

Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session

I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

Get in touch in the comments or head to...
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Flora Gordon has always been creative. As a child, she started off drawing, and that led her to become a graphic designer. She drew her entrepreneurial inspiration from her aunt and ended up launching her own business in 2015.

We get into how she got started with her graphic design business and wind up talking about the challenges that can come with entrepreneurship, like operating while dealing with health issues, bringing on new team members, and having a vision vs. being a leader.

Flora and I discuss how the “do it all yourself” mindset costs entrepreneurs money, time, opportunities, and growth potential. Being smarter with those resources and reaching out for help to manage them is the best way forward.

When these types of questions and challenges come up, the best thing to do is turn to an expert. They have seen the economic shifts. They can guide you through the challenges. The best ones even open up a whole network of other people to help you.

Flora’s golden nugget from this episode? Everything that you're going through, someone else has gone through too. And a bonus golden nugget from Flora—build your expertise by learning from other professionals.  

Connect with Flora here:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/floragordon (*please mention that you heard her on the Stern Truth!)
Instagram: instagram.com/imageimageagency
www.imageimage.agency 

Our Momentum Accountability is a group of incredible, supportive business owners that meets twice a month. For more information, visit https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/page/momentum 

Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/

Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup

Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session

I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

Get in touch in the comments or head to...
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I’m going to get real with you. Businesses are struggling right now. Brick and mortars are having a challenging time with their sales. You have probably seen how the economy is struggling, and you’re experiencing that struggle too.

Or maybe you’re thriving. That’s awesome, and I really applaud you for that. Small business growth is something to be proud of.

In this episode, I talk about the three D’s that can get you through those dark times and even through the good times. These three D’s are really what makes a business owner mindset.

Desire – the deep drive to be a success in your business. Determination/dedication – the commitment that works with the desire. Decisive action – taking the actions to move forward.  

Okay, maybe it’s more like four D’s, but the point is, they all point you forward. Owning and running a business is not linear. There are ups, there are downs, and there are times when you’re stable. 

Dig into these D’s again and again, not just once, to help you get you where you want to be in business.

I’m inviting you to be a guest in our next Momentum Accountability group, starting October 20th. This group of incredible business owners meets twice a month. Email me at [email protected] or go here for more info: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/page/momentum 

Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/

Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup

Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session

I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

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Today's episode is completely different from our regularly scheduled podcast. Recently, I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Coala Studio Podcast with Rounak Sardesai.

Rounak and I talked about all things small business and entrepreneurial growth, the “Ted Lasso” way. I liken myself to Ted Lasso because his coaching philosophies are always true golden nuggets.I do encourage you to Google Ted Lasso before this episode to understand the reference. Even if you don’t, you’ll understand what I’m getting at.

I talk with Rounak about one of my earliest entrepreneurial ventures (and failures), my environmental t-shirt business. I also share valuable lessons I’ve learned through the years, like how my first employee taught me to stay in my lane as the leader and how my sign company survived years of bumps in the road.

Business owners are strong, and what makes them their strongest is a leadership mindset, belief in themselves and their team, and taking consistent action. Two more golden nuggets I share: don’t ignore your business numbers, and, something I always drive home, surround yourself with the right people.

This was a special experience for me because I got to share my story, my own highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Thank you again to Rounak and to Coala Studios for having me!

The ONtrepreneur Growth Academy starts October 8th. Interested in attending? Email me at [email protected].

Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/

Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup

Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session

I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges.

Get in touch in the comments or head to...
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