In this episode of This Mother Means Business, host Laura Sinclair shares one of the hardest lessons she’s learned in 10 years of entrepreneurship — how to stay off the emotional roller coaster and manage your energy through the highs and lows of running a business.

Laura opens up about the power of maintaining neutral energy, how to avoid getting swept up in the highs or stuck in the lows, and why this practice has helped her stay grounded through a decade of growth, challenges, and self-discovery.

In this episode you will hear:

00:00 – The Hardest Lesson Yet

01:40 – Entrepreneurship Is a Roller Coaster

02:30 – Neutral Energy: What It Means and Why It Matters

03:50 – Managing the Highs Without Crashing

06:50 – Feeling the Lows Without Staying Stuck

08:40 – Healing and Triggers

09:40 – “This Is PR, Not ER”

10:50 – Protecting Your Energy Long-Term

11:30 – The Ongoing Practice of Neutrality

Join This Mother Means Business : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com

Laura's Links:
• Website
• Laura's Instagram
• LJSocial Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok

In this episode of This Mother Means Business, host Laura Sinclair sits down with multi-passionate entrepreneur Jenna Goodhand—owner of Cafézia Coffee, coach, community-builder, laughter-yoga leader, and proud neurodivergent creator—to talk about what it really takes to try bold ideas, “fail” forward, pivot, and keep showing up. 

Their conversation explores ADHD and entrepreneurship, communicating needs on teams, why timing (not talent) often determines traction, and how practices like sober dance parties, “future memories” visualization, and money mindset work can fuel purpose-driven business growth. If you’re a mom entrepreneur or creator who refuses to “pick a lane,” this episode offers validation, practical takeaways, and a roadmap for building a business that fits you.

In this episode you will hear:

00:00 – Meet Jenna Goodhand: The multi-passionate entrepreneur behind Cafézia Coffee

04:00 – The courage to try, fail, and try again

09:00 – Timing is everything: why the “right idea” sometimes needs to wait

13:00 – Permission to pivot: when to walk away and what to build next

17:00 – Neurodivergence and entrepreneurship

23:00 – Owning your strengths and asking for help

27:00 – Living authentically and saying “I don’t get it”

29:00 – Future memories, money mindset, and making space for what’s next

33:00 – Where to find Jenna and what’s next

Jenna's Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafeziacoffee/

Website: https://cafezia.ca/

Join This Mother Means Business : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com

Laura's Links:
• Website
• Laura's Instagram
• LJSocial Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok

In this week’s episode of This Mother Means Business, host Laura Sinclair continues her “10 Lessons from 10 Years of Entrepreneurship” series with one of her most honest reflections yet — the importance of taking care of yourself.

Laura opens up about how years of putting her business first led to burnout, and how reprioritizing herself changed everything — from her energy and relationships to her ability to lead and grow sustainably. She dives into personal stories, therapy breakthroughs, and her simple “Core Four” non-negotiables that keep her grounded: sleep, good food, exercise, and connection.

If you’ve ever struggled to balance ambition with your own wellbeing, this episode will remind you that your business should exist to serve your life — not the other way around.

In this episode you will hear:

00:01 – Lesson Four: Take Care of Yourself

02:20 – Reordering Priorities: From Business First to Self First

04:43 – The Breaking Point: Survival Mode and Therapy Lessons

07:06 – Discovering the “Core Four” Basic Needs

09:22 – Reclaiming Space and Advocating for Yourself

11:38 – The Long Game of Entrepreneurship: Why You Need to Protect Your Energy

Join This Mother Means Business : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com

Laura's Links:
• Website
• Laura's Instagram
• LJSocial Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok

In this episode of This Mother Means Business, Laura welcomes back Carly Ottaway—author of Coming Home, creator of The Mirror Effect, and founder of Web of Words. They dive into the vulnerable journey of writing a memoir-style book, the concept of your “favorite self,” how motherhood acts as a mirror, and the power of accountability in finally finishing big creative projects. Expect real talk on identity, authenticity, entrepreneurship, and raising daughters who see what’s possible.

In this episode you will hear: 

00:00 – Welcome Back + Why Carly’s Return Matters

00:31 – Who Carly Is Now: Author, Creator, Founder

01:35 – Previously on TMMB: Fire, Rebuild, Resilience

03:46 – Laura’s Early Read of Coming Home

05:15 – Deciding to Write the (Very Honest) Book

06:25 – From Dream to Draft: Coaching, Community, Momentum

09:55 – Stop the Excuses: The Moment She Committed

10:50 – Skin in the Game: Investment, Deadlines, Public Promises

15:15 – Introducing the “Favorite Self” Framework

19:54 – Journaling + Prompts to Meet Your Favorite Self

23:11 – Motherhood as a Mirror: The Origin of The Mirror Effect

37:28 – Closing Gratitude + Invitation to Share Takeaways

Carly's Links:

Website: http://www.carlyottaway.com

Web Of Words: https://webofwords.ca/ 

Order Coming Home: https://www.amazon.ca/Coming-Home-Path-Favourite-Permission/dp/1069218308/ref=sr_1_[%E2%80%A6]rmission+to+do+it+your+way%2Cdigital-text%2C152&sr=1-1-catcorr

Join This Mother Means Business : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com

Laura's Links:
• Website
• Laura's Instagram
• LJSocial Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok

In this episode of This Mother Means Business, host Laura Sinclair continues her “10 Lessons from 10 Years of Entrepreneurship” series with a powerful reflection on the emotional side of business.

Laura opens up about what it really means when your work is personal — but how you can choose not to take it personally. From crying over canceled gym memberships to navigating client transitions in her coaching business, Laura shares what she’s learned about separating identity from feedback, finding peace in rejection, and showing up with emotional maturity as an entrepreneur.

If you’ve ever felt hurt when a client moved on, a project didn’t land, or your hard work wasn’t appreciated, this episode will give you a fresh perspective (and probably a few deep sighs of relief).

In this episode you will hear:

00:00 – Welcome back & Lesson 3 intro

01:00 – The emotional side of entrepreneurship

02:30 – The difference between “personal” and “taking it personally”

03:45 – When clients cancel: lessons from the early gym days

05:15 – Members vs. friends: learning boundaries in business

06:40 – Applying the lesson to her coaching business

08:00 – The mindset shift: staying objective

08:45 – Example: feedback from her team

10:30 – You can’t please everyone (and that’s okay)

11:15 – Emotional freedom in business

12:00 – Closing reflections & takeaway

Join This Mother Means Business : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com

Laura's Links:
• Website
• Laura's Instagram
• LJSocial Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok

In this powerful, very human episode of This Mother Means Business, Laura sits down with trauma specialist and author Dawn Taylor—aka the “ass-kicker, hope-giver” behind The Taylor Way. They unpack what trauma really is (hint: it’s not only the “big T” moments), how it shows up in entrepreneurship, motherhood, hiring, launches, and everyday reactions (yes, even the McDonald’s drive-thru). You’ll hear Dawn’s extraordinary story, why typical talk therapy isn’t the only path, and practical ways to start healing—without tying your self-worth to your business.

In this episode you will hear:

00:00 – Welcome & why this matters

01:23 – What counts as trauma?

02:05 – Meet Dawn

03:14 – Dawn’s book

03:55 – Dawn’s backstory (content note: abuse, suicidality, medical trauma)

07:23 – The turning point

08:16 – When common modalities don’t fit

09:41 – Building a toolbox

10:58 – Doing this work full-time

12:28 – Big T vs. little t

14:00 – “It’s not nothing”

15:53 – Where to start healing

18:05 – Hyper-custom sessions (real examples)

22:30 – Trauma costs money

24:15 – Why people avoid healing

27:03 – The McDonald’s drive-thru story

33:14 – Motherhood, entrepreneurship & being chosen

35:12 – You are not your business

37:26 – Rejection vs. selection

39:25 – Self-inquiry that helps

42:53 – Parting wisdom (and humor)

Dawn's Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetaylorwaynow/

Website: https://www.thetaylorway.ca/

Book: https://www.thetaylorway.ca/shop?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAafD4EQouY9EIr739cWDYOMJKUkU9AM8bnbhAmtiQMDktJ12yu1SJ6bSiD_GHw_aem_VI3B33B5_ahlp9OSrYN-SA

Join This Mother Means Business : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com

Laura's Links:
• Website
• Laura's Instagram
• LJSocial Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok

In this episode, host Laura Sinclair continues her 10-part series celebrating a decade of entrepreneurship by sharing her second big lesson: the power of doing the right thing.

With honesty and reflection, Laura dives into how integrity has shaped her reputation, guided her decisions, and created opportunities she never expected. From her early gym-owner days and hard lessons with contracts, to navigating client commitments with compassion, Laura explains why reputation and relationships are everything in business.

Whether you’re building your first side hustle or scaling a six-figure brand, this conversation will inspire you to consider not just what’s profitable, but what’s right.

In this episode you will hear:

00:00 – Introduction

01:15 – Why integrity matters

02:27 – The grocery cart metaphor

03:45 – Contracts vs. humanity

04:43 – Reputation is everything

06:10 – The cost of ignoring integrity

07:05 – Opportunities from integrity

09:29 – Owning mistakes

11:10 – Nice guys don’t finish last

12:00 – The difference between integrity and being a pushover

13:00 – Looking ahead

Join This Mother Means Business : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com

Laura's Links:
• Website
• Laura's Instagram
• LJSocial Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok

In this episode of This Mother Means Business, Laura sits down with leadership coach and podcast host Heather Chauvin (Emotionally Uncomfortable) for a first-time, heart-to-heart on energy management, boundaries, and what it really takes for ambitious moms to feel alive—not just productive. Heather shares her journey from teen motherhood to cancer diagnosis and the framework she now teaches high-performing women to create time, energy, and emotional safety without burning out.

In this episode you will hear:

00:00 — Welcome & why this convo matters

01:58 — Freedom vs. the business ‘cage’

03:03 — Heather’s origin story

05:52 — The “do all the things” years

08:12 — 2013 cancer diagnosis

09:05 — What does ‘alive’ feel like?

11:27 — The question that changed everything

14:02 — Framework: Energetic Time Management (ETM)

18:20 — The 4 energy types

19:48 — Redefining rest

21:49 — Real client example

26:43 — Identity has to catch up

30:17 — Stuck despite “doing it right”

32:47 — Do less, better

33:04 — Free resource: Time & Energy Audi

34:51 — Discomfort = contraction

Heather's Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherchauvin_/

Website: https://link.heatherchauvin.com/

The Emotionally Uncomfortable Podcast: https://www.heatherchauvin.com/podcast

Join This Mother Means Business : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com

Laura's Links:
• Website
• Laura's Instagram
• LJSocial Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok

In part one of this special 10-part series, host Laura Sinclair reflects on her decade-long journey as an entrepreneur after leaving her corporate marketing job. Over the next 10 weeks, she’ll share the 10 biggest lessons that shaped her career, her mindset, and her success. This week kicks off with Lesson One: You Have to Be Willing to Grow—a raw and real look at why growth, even when uncomfortable, is the key to long-term success in business (and life).

In this episode you will hear:

00:00 – Stepping away from corporate life

01:45 – The surprising reaction

03:00 – 10 years in business

04:15 – Lesson One: Growth is non-negotiable

06:00 – The hard stuff no one talks about

07:45 – Personal growth fuels business growth

09:15 – Final takeaway

Entrepreneurship is as much a personal development journey as it is a professional one. If you want to succeed long-term, you must be willing to grow, evolve, and get uncomfortable—again and again.

Tune in next week for Lesson Two in this 10-part series on 10 years of entrepreneurship.

Join This Mother Means Business : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com

Laura's Links:
• Website
• Laura's Instagram
• LJSocial Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok

If you run a small town or local business and feel like “big city Instagram advice” doesn’t quite fit, this episode is your permission slip to do social differently. Laura sits down with Kat Tepylo Murphy, founder of Social Kat Media, to talk about community-driven content, setting healthy social media boundaries as a mom in business, collaborating locally, and why connection beats aesthetics every time. You’ll learn practical ways to attract nearby customers, use Instagram and Threads together, and create simple, real content that actually converts.

In this episode you will hear:

00:00 – Name giggles & real-life vibes

00:29 – Why this topic matters now

00:58 – Meet Kat

02:37 – Entrepreneurship at 21

04:41 – Life comes fast

06:23 – The two-week “leave”

07:45 – What Kat does best

08:04 – From sports to small towns

08:39 – What counts as “small town”?

09:59 – Why local lights Kat up

11:08 – Small town ≠ “online coach” tactics

13:17 – Followers vs. Foot traffic

14:50 – Your socials are a “vibe check”

15:51 – If you’re online-only

17:39 – Be where your locals are

18:18 – Collaboration courage

19:15 – Two big marketing regrets (and what to do instead)

21:22 – Boundaries for social pros

22:58 – The smartest boundary: a business phone

24:44 – “But what about DMs?”

26:08 – Know your intent

27:11 – What to post right now

28:37 – Real > perfect

30:30 – Polished or just post?

30:43 – Do aesthetics matter?

31:49 – Favorite platforms

32:21 – Use Threads as a testing ground

33:52 – Community from unexpected posts

34:27 – You’re not doing it wrong

Kat's Links: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialkatmedia/

Website: https://socialkatmedia.com/

Join This Mother Means Business : www.thismothermeansbusiness.com

Laura's Links:
• Website
• Laura's Instagram
• LJSocial Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• TikTok