Too Legitimate to Quit: Growth Strategies with a Pop Culture Spin

A doctor doesn't normally thank you passionately and profusely for letting them treat your aches and pains. They know you're there to solve a problem: they advise you or perform a procudure, you pay them, 'nuff said. But, as a small business owner, it's hard to find the right balance of gratitude and self-assurance. If selling really is serving - shouldn't they be thanking you?

This week, Annie P. is joined persuasion specialist, sales success architect, former marine biologist, and all-around brilliant human, Jason Cutter. Together, they have a candid convo about why your sleazy competitors succeed, how we shoot ourselves in the foot on sales calls, and why we should behave more like sharks (the ocean kind, not the tv investor kind), before unpacking lessons from the Bill Murray/Richard Dreyfuss classic comedy, What About Bob?

*Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language.

It's a whole new year - are you feeling the crushing weight of expectations already? Maybe you promised yourself you'd somehow be shinier or more prepared for this year? Screw that! This week, Amber Hawley is here to remind us that one of the most effective, efficient, and powerful things we can do is REST.

Amber is a seasoned therapist, coach, and laugh-riot with years of experience working with easily distracted, too hard on themselves, ever-yearning business owners. She sits down with Annie P. to talk about the importance of doing pleasurable things - and doing nothing - and how self-prioritization impacts our bottom line, our wallets, and our clients. Then, they collapse into a puddle of bad Scottish accents and giggles, discussing their shared favorite, "So, I Married an Axe Murderer."

Happy New Year from Team TLTQ!

*Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language, as well as brief mentions of abuse and suicide, and spoilers for "So I Married An Axe Murderer." It is not intended for young listeners. 

Ho ho ho - it's a TLTQ Holiday extravaganza and we're digging deep into that heartwarming concept known as professional jealousy. Wait, what? Yep! And for extra fun and cheeriness, we discuss the holiday classic where Santa dies in the first 5 minutes.

This week, Annie P. is joined by Startup Renegade, serial entrepreneur, military spouse, and super-mom, Shauna Armitage. Together they talk about the importance of monitoring and responding to your customer retention over time, the misconceptions of revenue vs. profit, and dispel some "Millionaire in a Minute" myths. Then, Shauna shares inspiration from Tim Allen's "The Santa Clause" and her kids' holiday habits.

Happy Holidays and Happy Listening from Team TLTQ!

*Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language.

An online course has limitless possibilities. Where should you start? What should you promise? How many problems should you solve? And how the heck do you make sure your buyers actually use your product? If you've been debating gamification, automation, or other bells and whistles, this is the episode for you!

This week, Annie P. is joined by Melody Johnson, The Course Consultant. Melody is an expert in both course design and client retention and is eager to share her tips and tricks. Then, she takes Annie on a quick tour of the Star Trek extended universe, centering in on the first female captain, Voyager's Kathryn Janeway.

*Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language.

TLTQ celebrates our 1st birthday in this powerhouse interview with Pamela Slim, author of Escape from Cubicle Nation, Body of Work, and The Widest Net! As a small business owner, it's easy to think of yourself as a rock or an island (cue the Paul Simon), but you actually sit at the center of a complex, ever-growing ecosystem. How can the company we keep foster the company we're growing?

Plus - Annie P. picks Pam's magnificent brain about the misconceptions surrounding self-employment, taking the leap away from corporate life, and the dangers of getting sand in your laptop. Then, Pam offers key takeaways, lessons, and some near misses as a John Legend superfan. It's simply not to be missed! #weallneedeachother

*Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language.

Habits - they surely don't feel very sexy. We got into self-employment for the freedom, right? But un-shiny necessities like routines, rituals, and consistent behaviors are the keys to your success, confidence, legacy, and more. How can we learn to embrace the intentional same-old-same-old?

This week, Annie P. sits down with the sensational Dallas Travers of The Hive and The Six-Figure Coach podcast. Dallas has a remarkable way of normalizing entrepreneurial struggles are setting expectations. Spoiler: as a small business owner, a big part of your job is failing - IN PUBLIC. How can we possibly navigate this rocky road? How can all our hard work finally pay off? And what the heck does any of it have to do with at-home spinning classes?

*Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language.

By trying to speak to everyone, we actually speak to no one. Kinda like high school, huh? When we tried to fit in with everybody, we wound up sitting alone. This week Annie P. is joined by copywriting and funnel genius, Breanna Gunn. Although they absolutely would have been besties in grade school, Brea and Annie swear by the power of being polarizing. How else can you expect your "just right" folks to find you?

Packed with pop culture references (from Alice in Wonderland to Carol Channing to Moana to Wicked and beyond), Brea and Annie explore how to deeply connect with the people you want to help transform - and who to leave behind -  before diving into the glorious/horrible microcosm that is Mean Girls. It's like... totally fetch.

*Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language.

Let's face it - leaning into your uniqueness can be hard, especially when you aren't sure what exactly is so unique about you, or who out there is looking for your particular brand of special sauce. How can we best explore our own voice, message, and style? Podcasting, duh!

This week, Annie P. is joined by podcast and platform expert, Michelle Abraham. Together, they talk about the deep value of small wins, the power of interviews, and how to monetize your platform before diving into the adventures of Marty McFly and Doc Brown.

*Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language.

Do you lie awake and drive yourself crazy wondering what to do about your email list? Whether you pelt your audience with too much information, forget to message them at all, or are completely baffled by your open rates - this episode is for you.

This week, Annie P. sits down with Liz Wilcox - email queen, low-ticket product success story, and walking 90s encyclopedia. Together, they look into how easy it is to over-complicate your whole business (let alone your email campaigns), how to stay top of mind, and what inspiration all of us can draw from Chris Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez, and the boys of *NSYNC.

*Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language.

What role does intuition play in your business? Whether you believe that your inner voice comes from God or from your lived experience, there are certain problems you just have to feel your way through. You may not identify as "Woo-Woo" - but are you willing to listen to the call of your own truth?

This week, Annie P. sits down with Michelle Clarke - coach, unicorn, multimillionaire, and author of "Woo Woo for Women in Business." Together they talk about the pivotal roles that shame, shadow-work, and fear play in everyday entrepreneurship before diving into their mutual love of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

*Parentpreneur advisory: this episode contains colorful language.