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We can get so wrapped up in the “newness” of our businesses when we’re first starting out that we may not stop to evaluate where we’re putting our energy every day. I’m sure you can relate to this, but during my first year of business I found myself running on fumes sometimes in order to check the boxes of what I thought was important. In this episode I’ll be sharing some of the lessons I’ve learned, especially recently, as I take a step back from social media and take inventory of how I’m marketing my business and splitting my time. We could all do with the reminder to make sure we’re investing the same thoughtfulness in our personal lives as well, because neglecting to do so is contrary to why many of us start businesses in the first place: for that extra freedom. I hope you’ll learn something from this episode and that together we can distribute our energy with more intention and compassion. Here are some things I’ve learned:   Anything that grows needs care and attention. A powerful question to ask is, “What do I want to nourish?” The importance of a monthly budget and knowing where my money is going. Ask yourself how to grow a fulfilling life, and how our business can support that; not the other way around. Viewing the business trajectory as an atlas rather than a singular path can help cut down on perfectionism. I don’t want to get back on the content-making machine. Resources from this episode:   Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

I know I talk about intuition a lot on this podcast, but that’s because intuition is interwoven with every part of our lives and businesses: every decision, every client, every financial move. In addition to those helpful pro-con lists, we all really need to be able to trust ourselves to know whether or not we’re on the “right path” in our businesses. Today on the podcast, I’m having a dialogue with Sarah Noble of The Modern Day Intuitive, on how we can conceptualize our intuition and get to know our own intuition more intimately. I hope you’ll enjoy this slightly different, open conversation, and the natural progression of our thoughts around what our unique purposes are in life.   Sarah Noble is here to inspire you to live into your dreams, your desires and your destiny. To create a life that is full of joy and laughter and possibilities, invoking the fire of your soul to remember why you are here, to bring forth the wisdom that lies dormant in your bones. Come dance in the space between the seen and the unseen worlds, and awaken the gifts of your intuition, your magic and your deepest desires.   Here are some things I’ve learned:   We can view our individual journeys as more of a map than a singular path. Zooming out to see the sum of our decisions and experiences gives us a better view of the whole rather than focusing on what the “perfect” path is.  It’s all about learning more about yourself, your boundaries, and what your true desires are. We start to experience overwhelm when we find ourselves facing the unknown, but this is an opportunity to listen to yourself more. Working hard towards something that feels in alignment allows you to replenish yourself as opposed to constantly draining yourself in order to serve others. The more coherent we are internally, the more coherent our lives are.   Resources from this episode: Follow Sarah on Instagram: @themoderndayintuitive, https://www.instagram.com/themoderndayintuitive/ 'Embrace Your Magic' is a 3 month container, inspired by the ancient mystery schools, designed to awaken and ignite the magic that is already alive in your soul. Connect deeply with your dreams, desires and intuition through Earth Magic, Ceremony, Meditation, Journeying, Shamanic Initiations and Magical Activations, creating a life full of joy, laughter and possibilities: https://sarahnoble.com/embrace-your-magic/ Visit Sarah’s website: https://sarahnoble.com/ Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

I used to have such a difficult time weaving in the selling portion into my social media content. Even though I felt authentic in my voice when I posted normally, any time I would try to sell my coaching services, I would feel so sleazy. I imagine you’ve also felt the same way before! Today I talk with Gelaine Santiago about overcoming that discomfort and narrowing down our audience when pitching our services. Gelaine shares her own entrepreneurship journey and how she transitioned from a broad, global fashion brand into a much more focused, and ultimately more successful, business uplifting Filipino artisans. Together, we talk about how to balance storytelling and selling in our bigger content strategies, and how to leverage our “why” by becoming crystal-clear on who we’re speaking to in our marketing.   Gelaine Santiago is an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, writer, and content marketing coach for BIPOC founders. As a marketing coach, Gelaine helps BIPOC founders show up unapologetically and sell authentically through content. She is also the co-founder and CEO of Cambio & Co. and Sinta & Co., two Filipino fashion brands that create sustainable livelihood for artisans in the Philippines and empower the diaspora to celebrate their heritage. Her work has been featured in major publications like Forbes, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and Huffington Post.   Here are some things I’ve learned:   How to leverage your story as a means to connect to your community while selling at the same time (“story-selling”) How to get detailed about who you’re serving – what is their problem in one sentence? The more we understand ourselves, the more we can understand our ideal customers and feel aligned in that relationship. How we can empower ourselves and other minorities so they don’t feel pressured to whitewash their message in order to be more “mainstream” If you’re trying to speak to everybody, you’re really speaking to nobody.   Resources from this episode: Follow Gelaine on Instagram: @gelainesantiago, https://www.instagram.com/gelainesantiago/ Get The Template: Find Your Fierce Customer Persona This isn't another generic customer avatar exercise. This is the same customer persona template Gelaine has used to grow dozens of purpose-driven brands, including her own 6-figure businesses: https://fiercefans.gelainesantiago.com/customer-persona-template  Visit Gelaine’s website: https://www.gelainesantiago.com/   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

Have you been feeling a bit underwhelmed by your closet? Been opting into those sweatpants a little too often lately? In this episode I’m chatting with Naana Badu on how to dress for success in your business. Naana Badu changes lives through style! As a Style Coach and Speaker for her styling and image consulting firm, Badu Basics, Naana coaches women of color to elevate their wardrobe to embody their bold, authentic style. With 15+ years as a management consultant, she's navigated corporate spaces and learned the power of authenticity and confidence. Naana calls Ghana and Brooklyn, NY home and is living her best life with her husband, Chenits. This is a fascinating episode where we dive into what makes our style so central to our sense of confidence and personal identity, as well as how we make the tough calls to organize our closets and let go of past versions of ourselves through clothing. We also dig deeper into the complexities of how women of color are perceived in the workplace, and how we all can redefine what “professionalism” means for the better.   Here are some things I’ve learned: People are not only looking AT you; they’re looking UP to you. Embracing our style can allow us to purge old versions of ourselves and come into our own presence and evolution. At the end of the day, everyone wants to feel confident. What’s going to make you feel the most confident in your wardrobe? Lessen the gap between your everyday dress choices and the way you go all out for “big” events. If your clothes are worn, stained, or ripped, let them go. If you haven’t worn something in over two years, let it go.   Resources from this episode: Follow Naana on Instagram: @badubasics, www.instagram.com/badubasics Sign up for Naana’s signature coaching program: The Style Elevation Experience is a virtual style coaching program for WOC leaders and industry experts entering big rooms that require bold, distinct style and a confident presence. www.badubasics.com/style-elevation-experience  Visit Naana’s website: www.badubasics.com   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

When we’re first starting out in business, our problems usually boil down to finding our first clients, learning how to speak to our audience, finding our “why,”, etcetera. But as our businesses expand, we develop new, more complex problems, and the organization of our time and money becomes more difficult. This is typically when we are encouraged to “just get a VA,” and we might do that just because it feels like the next step. But is that really the best use of our time and money during this phase? I talk all about it with today’s guest, Brianna King. Brianna is a coach and systems strategist who helps busy moms and business owners cultivate their resilience through systems and teaches them how to add them to their lives to prevent commonly made mistakes when goal setting. Graduate of the Courageous Living Coach Certification Program, Brianna's is passionate about helping others and inspiring them daily. This is such an eye-opening conversation and I can’t wait for you to dive in with us.   Here are some things I’ve learned:   Outsourcing a new person makes you a manager, and as a manager, your workload doubles. You’re not saving time or money when you have to train a new person and you don’t have an existing system. Virtual assistants, (VAs), work best fitting into existing systems – for a higher rate, an online business manager (OBM) will come in to create and oversee those systems. A customer relationship manager (CRM), is your database of client information and communication. A project management platform (PM), is the place where you organize and delegate tasks related to a project. Sometimes we need to step back and see the bigger picture, trusting that the systems we implement will be more sustainable over time. As a beginner, it pays to be scrappy as you figure out what your workflow is. But as you become more booked, you can apply the data you’ve gathered to create more streamlined operations. Resources from this episode: Follow Brianna on Instagram: @briannakingcoaching, www.instagram.com/briannakingcoaching Want to know if you’re ready for a VA? Grab Brianna’s freebie Work with Brianna: www.brianna-king.com   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

I hope everyone’s hungry, because I’m welcoming the queen of food analogies and email strategy, Allison Carpio, to the show. Allison Carpio is an author, speaker, email + copy coach, and head chef at The Conversion Kitchen. She got fed up with all the fake scarcity and oppressive tactics in the email marketing world – especially from the bros and boss babes. Now, she helps her chefs (clients) cook up emails that sell without the sleaze. We have a beautiful conversation packed with nuggets of wisdom. We debunk the common misconceptions around email marketing, the mindset shifts needed to leverage email as a way to become intimate with your audience, and ways to get yourself out of the beginner’s rut and just start emailing. Overall, it’s clear that we need to let go of “shoulds” and start embracing our human imperfections when it comes to email. I’m sure ready to do that.   Here are some things I’ve learned: Email is the most intimate way to get to know someone. Just like cooking for someone!  And it should be fun – just like cooking for someone. Selling feels uncomfortable to so many entrepreneurs, partly because of many of the inauthentic urgency tactics that get circulated in the mainstream marketing world.  If you believe in what you’re offering and you’re proud of it, you don’t have to be afraid of putting it in front of the people who want what you’re selling. There’s no need to be defensive about someone’s potential objections to your offer. It’s better to be patient for those who are actually ready. There’s so much impact from email even if everyone isn’t clicking or replying. This impact can’t always be quantified but trust that it will nourish your relationships in the long run. Look for potential aligned partnerships to build your list out in the beginning. Give talks, host joint webinars, appear on podcasts. Always share your freebie. You actually don’t need to craft an entire detailed newsletter every day. Casual feels more intimate and it takes less time. Double win.   Resources from this episode: Follow Allison on Instagram: @allisoncarpio, www.instagram.com/allisoncarpio Learn more about The Conversion Kitchen and grab Allison’s free resource, Four Flavors of Emails That Sell   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page here Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

I promised you all we would be talking about pricing and money, and I’m here to deliver! Today I’m bringing back money coach Gina Knox. She helps entrepreneurs pay themselves more and then save six figures. I love Gina’s empathy, her drive to get things done, and her ability to simplify this complex topic into some very straightforward action steps. When it comes to making money in our business, saving it, and spending it, it is crucial to get our systems set up quickly so that it can bring us the most joy, ease, and satisfaction in life. We have an enlightening conversation about healing generational trauma around money, and it feels wonderful to pass these insights on to all you listening. There are so many perfectionist tips out there on how to handle your finances, so I hope this episode gives you the permission you need to let that go. Grab your pen and paper and buckle in.   Here are some things I’ve learned: Before we can take actions surrounding our money, there are so many beliefs we must overcome; for example, it’s common to assume we have to put off paying ourselves more, but this isn’t true. Sales are not consistent for anybody. How do we design our finances so that we can get paid and save money anyway? There is an order of operations in managing personal finances and business finances. We must pay ourselves first, and several steps come after. Next, in this order, we save 3 months of expenses, pay off credit card debt, save for retirement, and begin investing in riskier assets. Embrace constraints and trust the process. If you know the box, you can think outside it.  You can’t prioritize everything when it comes to money, or you’ll be stuck moving too slowly. Knowledge over your finances is the ultimate superpower. It’s the primary thing that will help you work through the fear.   Resources from this episode: Follow Gina on Instagram: @ginaknox, www.instagram.com/ginaknox Learn more about Gina Knox’s coaching program 6 Figure Saver  Work with Gina one-on-one DISCLAIMER: The above link is an affiliate link. If you purchase a product or service through that link, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. Thanks for supporting these businesses and this podcast!   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page here Follow me on Instagram Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My intro music was produced by Moshun

Hello, my dear Dream Plan Action listeners. You may have noticed a few things have changed about this podcast. Over the last year, it’s become clear to me that the name of this podcast no longer aligns with my mission. So allow me to introduce you to the new title of this show: Scale With Heart. In this episode, I’m going to share with you some of the things that led me to this shift, as well as the exciting things coming up in my business with regards to my marketing and my offers. Be sure to expect the usual insightful solocasts and interviews. I’m excited to share this new leg of my journey with you, and thank you for supporting me so far. Cue the (new) music!   Here are some things I talk about: My current clients are really serious about growth, so I have to get serious about growth in order to support them. I didn’t realize how many money blocks I had; I’ve always operated from a scarcity mindset. I’m a strong saver but it’s not as easy for me to spend. I had to choose to invest in this podcast, for example! Not only do I pay for hosting, I decided to hire an editor to handle all of the time-consuming post-production tasks (if you yourself are looking for a podcast editor, reach out to my editor in the link below) DIY-ing everything as a business owner may save you money, but it will cost you so much time in the long run. My vision is to help my clients grow business rooted in healing, justice, and service. So learning skills that didn’t directly align with this mission wouldn’t be moving the needle for me. Repeat after me: Investing in my business isn’t spending frivolously; it’s a way to cultivate my future. Charging more and spending more go hand in hand; we must trust in our worthiness to receive that money and in our ability to produce an impactful return on those investments.   Resources from this episode:  DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. Thanks for supporting these businesses and this podcast! Check out the We Should All Be Millionaires book Learn more about Gina Knox’s coaching program 6 Figure Saver  Meet my podcast editor Angelina at The Intentional Edit :) My new intro music was produced by Moshun   Additional resources: Are you interested in crafting a fulfilling, growth-oriented experience for your clients that scales? Take my free mini-course Build Your Foundational Framework Interested in working with me? Check out my Service Page here Follow me on Instagram

Today’s guest is my writing coach and dear friend, Adi Sudarkoff. Adi is a master at connecting me back to my “why” when I’m feeling blocked in the creative process. It can be so frustrating when we’re working so closely with our projects and we’re feeling overwhelmed by options, that our central mission of doing that project becomes lost in the shuffle. Returning to that “why” makes it a lot easier to figure out exactly how to connect to our audience through whatever channel we’ve chosen. In this conversation we talk about some of the tools Adi uses to do just that, including human design, astrology, and writing practices, as well as the ways we can work to heal our own personal stories to create powerful, story-based business. We also spend some time breaking down the value of exchanging money, creating stability in our lives through business, and fighting against a scarcity mindset.   Here are some things I learned: Humans are a story-based species. We connect with each other and with ourselves through story, absorbing societal stories to create narratives about who we are. We all must work through the conditioning done to us by a white, capitalist, heteronormative, patriarchal society. Most people perpetuate very limiting stories about themselves based on what they’ve been told in the past. When you force yourself to be palatable, or “relatable” to everyone, you prevent yourself from actually saying anything. How can we be more intentionally inclusive and find the people who align with our purpose and goals? First, by embracing all parts of ourselves. We can get lost in the binary of “real” and “not real” in a hyperlogical culture. A better question to ask is, “Is this helpful?” Human design and astrology, like many other systems, give a snapshot of the archetypal energy that runs within you.   Resources from this episode:   Adi Sudarkoff’s website Find Adi on Instagram at @adisudarkoff Read Lisa Cron’s “Wired for Story” book  Read Priya Parker’s “The Art of Gathering” book Read Jacob Goldstein’s “Money:  A Made Up Story About A True Thing” book Read Natalie Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones” book Additional resources:   Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/

Today I welcome Heather Javier of Be About It Health & Wellness on the podcast. Heather is the head coach, a mom of two, a wife, as well as a full-time scientist on top of everything. She is one of the most full-hearted individuals I’ve ever met, and as a client of my own, we work well together because both of us value heart-centered goals. Heather’s coaching programs help clients build heart-centered habits that allow them to reclaim and invest their time in a way that helps them grow as individuals, business-owners, partners, and caregivers. This is a rich and compelling conversation, and I’m very excited to share it with you.   Here are some things I learned:   Asking the right questions and finding the right support is crucial in the beginning of your journey. She describes a “heart-sick” period when she was healthy on the outside and burnt out on the inside from a lack of boundaries and saying yes to everything. Embarking on a journey of healing our hearts requires us to ask honestly, “What do I need?”  What we feel impacts what we do, which impacts our habits; once women have a better sense of what their “why” is, they can start aligning their hustles. Starting with something as simple as sleep can fuel us to show up in all other aspects in a more profound way; rest is not recreation! It’s important to sit down and intentionally assess your time; what tasks compete for your attention? What are the things you want to invest your energy into? What are the things you can delegate/automate? Identify your “golden hours”: when will you be in the flow of doing the things you have chosen?   Resources from this episode: Be About It’s Time Is Mine workbook Be About It Health & Wellness website Find Heather on Instagram at @beaboutitcoach and @beaboutithealth   Additional resources: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/

So you finally decided to start the business you’ve been dreaming of. You sit down, energized, at your computer, ready to make things happen. And suddenly you’re filled with a sense of massive overwhelm. There are so many things to do, and it’s impossible to know where to start first. Does this sound familiar at all? Well, I get it. I’ve been there many times. So in today’s episode, I want to share with you the one thing that’s actually holding you back from gaining momentum at the beginning of your business journey.   Here’s what I discuss in this episode:   All you need to do is take a stance in your niche, and be willing to share that stance. Sometimes, gaining more education in a subject feels productive, but is actually procrastinating the more important task of sharing your message with your audience. Your stance won’t be for everyone, and it shouldn’t be; what you have to offer won’t be for everyone. I believe some of our people-pleasing tendencies come from a patriarchal narrative that women should be mindful of everyone’s feelings. I also believe that the capitalist mentality that “more is better” contributes to these tendencies. To me, the best courses or programs focus on one clearly-defined objective. Try this journal prompt: “I believe everyone should __” until you’ve encompassed your business values.     Resources from this episode: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/   Additional resources: Dream Plan Launch application (direct link - https://forms.gle/8bZ8w6jd2gUeryAr7) Curious about music therapy? Check out my amazing client Christine's business ReSounding Resilience (direct link - https://www.resounding-resilience.com/)

In this episode I’m continuing my critique on Atomic Habits and habit-hacking in general. We’ve already talked about some of my issues regarding the way we usually go about building habits, so let’s get a bit more specific here. What is a habit, actually? How do we integrate habits into our routines? What are simple tactics that will help us achieve our goals? Here’s what I discuss in this episode: Many of these habit-hacking formulas don’t even define habits right; they conflate habits with routines. It’s unrealistic to expect a conscious act, like vigorous exercise, to become an unconscious habit. Because we can’t expect it to be easy, we have to enjoy the process in order to build the routine. It has to become the opposite of unconscious; it has to be intentional and mindful. First, I figure out how much time I want to devote to a routine per week, and then I schedule it in. Second, I declare a WHY: it keeps me going when I don’t feel like doing the thing. Lastly, I approach the act consciously, checking in on myself and noticing how my energy feels.  If you genuinely don’t like doing something, stop doing it. Return to your why.   Resources from this episode: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/

Welcome to Season 4 of Dream Plan Action! In this episode I’m giving my hot takes on Atomic Habits and many of the similar habit-building hacks and methods out there. There are a lot of valuable takeaways from the popular book, but I’m not sold all the way on its effectiveness. Especially to those who are feeling lost and overwhelmed, like I was when I was taking all these productivity courses, approaches like Atomic Habits could be misdirecting our energies into the wrong habits that don’t actually help us move the needle, or at worst, trap us in a cycle of our own negativity. So let’s talk about it.   Here’s what I discuss in this episode: What I LOVE about the book is the emphasis on the power of slow growth. However, no habit-building method actually shows you HOW to select your goals and habits. It’s not always healthy to mask the low periods we’re going through with productivity just for the sake of productivity. I was imitating a lot of “healthy habits” I saw on Instagram, not necessarily because they were best for me, but because I was comparing my own life to these folks who looked like they had it together. This created a cycle of me beating myself up for being “lazy” and “unmotivated” In fact, we need to work backwards from the FEELING we want to embody, and choose habits that will create that feeling within us.  No one can tell you what health, happiness, or success looks like in your life. You get to define it for yourself.   Resources from this episode: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/   Additional resources:  Click here to listen to James Clear’s amazing story on Dare to Lead Itching to adjust your desk ergonomics after I kept talking about adjusting mine this episode? Click here to watch the video I used to adjust my monitor height and provide neck tension relief! 

On this final episode of Season 3, I welcome Connie Holman, a heart-centered coach and therapist. Intuition may seem like a vague or disembodied concept (it certainly did for me at first), but with the right intentions, it can actually be one of the most effective ways to make decisions in your business and in your personal life. Connie shares her journey with manifestation and how she helps her clients let go of their emotional hurts in order to just start on realizing their dreams. In this episode we discuss: Our journey is not going to look like anyone else’s journey. We have to stop comparing our lowlight reels to other peoples’ highlight reels. Feelings are teachers, just like triggers are teachers. Uncomfortable feelings can cause us to shut down, but giving them a space to be explored will teach us something valuable. Going through life transitions, career promotions, or any significant changes can bring up old feelings and insecurities. But remember that those insecurities are just reminders that this really matters to you.  In order to gain momentum, you have to take actionable steps. Action is a form of self care. Your fight or flight response is there to keep you safe. You have to acknowledge it in order to overcome your fears. Our bodies are containers for feelings. Movement can be an amazing way to process emotions. Always come back to asking yourself if something really aligns for YOU. Don’t dream for anybody else but you.   Connect with Connie: https://www.connieanneholman.com/ Resources from this episode: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/nicole-ralston/30-minute-consult Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/ Read the show notes at https://www.nicoleralston.com/podcast

If you dread the math and accounting part of entrepreneurship, this is the episode for you. Today I talk with Gina Knox, who is a financial coach for entrepreneurs. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the table that will benefit you no matter what stage of entrepreneurship you’re at -- especially around tax time. We talk about addressing fears around finance, what you actually need to keep up with your small business bookkeeping, and what numbers you will need for tax season. I hope this episode gives you the right balance of positivity and useful information to move forward with confidence in your freelance finances. In an area that tends to cause a lot of undue stress for many entrepreneurs, especially at the beginning of their journey, I hope Gina’s knowledge helps to simplify and demystify accounting and save you a lot of time and money in the long run.   In this episode we discuss: Get separate bank accounts for your business and personal finances, even if you only have one client! Owner’s investments into your business (equity) are not taxable. In the very beginning, keep track of how much you are spending on your business. You only need a simple spreadsheet, which is free, to keep track of your business finances, especially if you have only a few transactions per month. This spreadsheet needs to track how much money you brought in, how much money went out, and what tax category your expenses fell under. Choose a cadence that works for you (daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly) to sit down and organize your transactions. All the government wants to know for tax time is how much money your business made, how much money your business spent, and what category your expenses fell under (on your Schedule C). An unofficial rule of thumb is to save your receipts on expenses $75 and above. Hold onto these receipts for up to 7 years in case you are audited by the IRS.   Connect with Gina: https://www.6figuresaver.com/ Resources from this episode: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/nicole-ralston/30-minute-consult Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/ Read the show notes at https://www.nicoleralston.com/podcast

My guest for today is Rachel Gainer of Rachel Rebuilt and our conversation today is all about personifying the inner critic. Many of us try to categorize it as totally negative and think that we need to ignore that voice in order to overcome it. However, Rachel encourages us to “rewire” the inner critic, exploring new ways to interact with it and more deeply honor your intuition. Rachel is a life coach for working mothers and emerging entrepreneurs, helping her clients tackle the inner stories that are holding them back from achieving what they want to achieve. She also hosts her own podcast called Life Rebuilt -- check it out in the links below! In this episode we discuss: Turning your inner critic into your “inner ally” can help view that voice as someone who just wants to protect us from failure. It can be difficult to distinguish between true intuition and the bad intentions of the inner critic. A helpful tactic can be asking yourself: “Does this voice want me to grow or to stay small?” Try to visualize the character your inner voice is taking on -- is it the bully, the boss, the spiritual guide? If you’re pushing yourself so hard that you’re burning out, that might be a sign to ease up on yourself and reevaluate. Find the balance of pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone 10-15% -- this is where you will find the best results, rather than simply working harder all the time. Dread comes from an external expectation, whereas fear comes from an internal expectation.   Connect with Rachel: https://www.rachelrebuilt.com/ https://www.rachelrebuilt.com/podcast   Resources from this episode: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/nicole-ralston/30-minute-consult Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/ Read the show notes at https://www.nicoleralston.com/podcast

In this episode I welcome Madeleine Onstwedder, a life coach for those who want to make a greater impact in the world, but believe that impact requires a great amount of self-sacrifice. As it turns out, this may not actually be true. We have a nuanced conversation about all things self-care and staying mindful of the present moment, two things that are so easily lost in the daily hustle of entrepreneur life. In fact, long-term success as an entrepreneur may actually require us to rethink our relationship with productivity in general, and disconnect productivity from our internal sense of self-worth. I hope this episode serves as a reminder to pour into yourself first and foremost so that you can show up as your best self in your work, your family, and any activities you bring your energy to. In this episode we discuss: Prioritizing yourself will allow you to continue to enjoy the work you set out to do, rather than start to resent it. Setting clear boundaries that nurture your wellbeing sets a standard for the people around you to do the same. Stop treating your to-do list as a reflection of a perfect day -- you will never be able to meet that standard. Integrate self-care tasks as part of your regular to-do list. Be as minimal as possible with what you actually put on your daily to-do list. Spread things out into the week or the month. If you find yourself putting off a specific item over and over, consider putting it off until it feels in more alignment. Give yourself small, intentional breaks throughout the day to either move your body or sit and take a few deep breaths.   Connect with Madeleine: https://madeleineonstwedder.com/   Resources from this episode: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/nicole-ralston/30-minute-consult Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/ Read the show notes at https://www.nicoleralston.com/podcast

If you’re at all like me and you’ve always felt the need to be modest about your accomplishments, Adrienne is going to show you how to harness the magical power of celebration to build habits! Celebration helps cement the small habits and routines that you’re trying to build in your personal and business life. Adrienne is a wellness coach for moms, helping her clients redefine who they are and reclaim the time they need to do so through the implementation of Tiny Habits. She shares her background in yoga as a tool for mental health, becoming a mother, and transitioning into the world of wellness coaching. Please enjoy this uplifting conversation about habit change and start celebrating yourself even for the tiniest accomplishments! In this episode we discuss: Tiny Habits is the practice of taking your existing routine and making small changes to help you feel better right away. Emotions can create habits more strongly than sheer repetition.  The smaller the habit is, the less motivation that is needed -- motivation itself is unreliable. The Tiny Habits process is taking an existing routine, adding a Tiny Habit onto it, and then celebrating (this part is key!) The way you celebrate doesn’t matter so much as long as there’s a feeling of success. When designing your Tiny Habits recipes, start by looking at your aspirations and working from there. Or, start from your existing routine by writing it down in detail and find places to attach a Tiny Habit that will help you feel the way you want to feel.   Connect with Adrienne: https://www.instagram.com/adisudarkoff/   Resources mentioned in this episode: BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits book: https://tinyhabits.com James Clear’s Atomic Habits book: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits   Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/nicole-ralston/30-minute-consult Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/

On this episode, I welcome Elissa Kennedy, a business coach for new coaches. Elissa uses somatic work to help her clients get anchored in their vision, so that they can make intentional decisions and avoid getting lost in the “should-dos” and “supposed-tos” of early-stage entrepreneurship. This conversation dives into the spirit of staying present within our work while welcoming in the guidance from our larger vision to help direct our learning, rather than losing ourselves within a goal-driven mindset that keeps us out of our present happiness. This episode is sure to provide some wisdom to all of you who feel plagued by perpetual business and the endless chasing of business milestones! In this episode we discuss: Embrace each part of the journey rather than only focusing on where you want to be. Somatic work is the embodiment of our emotions. The key is becoming aware of the feelings that come up in your body every time you’re going through an emotional decision. Tune into what a “yes” feels like in your body and what a “no” feels like as well. We’re taught to think through our problems rather than feel through them. Becoming aware of our own emotions is a slow, intentional process. If you try to put yourself in a thousand different places, you’ll end up not getting very far in any one place.  It’s not a failure if you experimented with a platform and it didn’t work for you. Creating moments throughout the day for mindfulness, meditation, or deep breaths, are very important.  Connect with Elissa: https://www.elissakennedy.com/ Other resources: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/nicole-ralston/30-minute-consult Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/

Whether you consider yourself an “artist” or not, any entrepreneur can take something away from today’s conversation with floral painter Julie Marriott. We discuss her journey from art school, to art teaching, to entrepreneurship. Julie shares valuable pieces of advice from overcoming perfectionism to determining your value through pricing. There is so much joy apparent in her work, and I'm grateful to capture some of that joy in this episode. Be sure to check out Julie’s paintings in the links below -- I hope this episode inspires you to be bold in your business and lean into your own creativity!   In this episode we discuss: It can be too easy to pick apart the details of your work, but this can prevent you from moving smoothly through and finishing, so be careful about indulging your meticulous side! Slow down, loosen up, relax, and LET GO. Try not to be emotionally invested in the outcome in any individual piece. Reflect on what went well and what went wrong, and then move on to the next. Dabble in different things until you hone in on the one thing that excites you the most and will make you money. Be incredibly intentional with your time so that you can be present in the most important areas. If the thing that is making you money doesn’t also fulfill you creatively, it’s time to re-evaluate. Whatever it is that you do, don’t let it overwhelm the other parts of your life -- your free time and personal time are just as important.   Connect with Julie: https://juliemarriottart.com/ https://www.instagram.com/juliemarriottart/   Other resources: Be sure to grab my free guide on crafting your mission statement!  Book a call with me: https://calendly.com/nicole-ralston/30-minute-consult Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleralston_/