Who is Responsible for Client Results?

Have you been told that clear communication is the key to improving client results, but are still struggling with client expectations? Don’t know why some clients become raving fans and others are never satisfied with your work?  Discover the secrets to clear  communication, effective decision-making, well-defined scope of work, and goodbye to the frustration of unmet expectations and hello to a thriving partnership with your clients.

During the episode, I shares my insights on the importance of being explicit about what services will be provided and how these services can help clients achieve their goals. For consultants and coaches, being transparent about the limitations of their expertise is also essential, as it ensures clients have an accurate understanding of the services they provide, the outcomes they can expect, and the level of responsibility consultants hold for their results.

Marketing Your Expert Identity with Michelle Mazur

Expertise is often undervalued in today's online culture, especially when the coaching industry deems anyone an expert who is "two steps ahead" of their client, but Dr. Michelle Mazur is determined to change that. With a Ph.D. in communication, and a brilliant framework called "The Three Word Rebellion", author, speaker, podcaster, and messaging consultant, Michelle Mazur has a lot to say about expertise, the anti-expert bias that is flooding the internet with cookie-cutter programs, short-sighted advice and leaving people feeling duped. 

If you are a legitimate expert, chances are you think you suck at marketing and don't know how to stand out from the crowd without feeling like a sleazeball about how to help clients who value what you have to offer to find you and hire you. 

The Mentally Healthy Entrepreneur: What You Need to Know

FFrom a licensed psychotherapist turned business coach perspective, the link between mental health and entrepreneurship seemed clear. But during Mental Health Awareness Month, an unexpected twist emerged: the unique challenges female solopreneurs faced. What I discovered shook me to my core and fueled my passion to address this issue

The high-stress lifestyle that often accompanies entrepreneurship can take a toll on one's mental well-being. Acknowledging the potential issues and taking preventive measures to ensure mental health remains strong can be key to overall success in business. 

Mental health deserves ongoing focus and attention, and there is no "good time" to start prioritizing it. Waiting for an opportune moment or certain revenue milestone may lead to dangerous delays or neglect of mental well-being, resulting in a mental health crisis. Fostering mental health resilience and stability must be a constant endeavor, incorporated into daily life and business practices. 

Rising Above Tall Poppy Syndrome: a Chat About Diversity & Inclusion with Lisa Mulligan

It's time to delve into the fascinating and often maddening topics of ambition shaming, gender bias, tall poppy syndrome, and the challenges faced in promoting equity and inclusion in both male and female-dominated industries. Meet today's guest, Lisa Mulligan, who brings a wealth of experience and a global perspective working in the UK, Australia, Singapore, and New Zealand. Lisa is the founder of The Culture Ministry and host of the "A Dog Called Diversity" podcast.

Tall Poppy Syndrome is a pervasive cultural phenomenon where ambitious individuals are targeted and their successes are belittled due to resentment, envy, or fear. Women, especially those who are highly ambitious and driven, are often victims of this syndrome. Addressing this issue is important for achieving true equality and balance in the workforce. In this interview, Lisa & I discuss ambition envy and the role that privilege plays in undermining the achievements and potential of capable women. Mulligan's account highlights the breadth of this global phenomenon and establishes the need for supportive networks and self-understanding.

Unpacking The Boss Up Breakthrough: 9 Steps to a Stand-Out, Sought-After Business

What happens when you have bought all the courses, taken all the programs, followed all the conventional “wisdom” and your business is technically “working” but you’re not attracting as many perfect-fit clients, making as much profit, or having as much fun as you expected? Find out the answer to these questions and more in this episode of the Driven Woman Entrepreneur Podcast.

The Boss Up Breakthrough
My signature coaching program, the Boss Up Breakthrough provides entrepreneurs with the guidance and tools necessary to streamline their businesses, identify their unique strengths and goals, and focus on what truly matters for long-term success. Clients often have many great ideas, leading them to pursue multiple goals and projects simultaneously. However, this approach can result in missed opportunities and unfinished business.  I advocate for a flexible structure, creating order from chaos without telling clients what I think they should do. 

Cultivating Authenticity, Vulnerability & Belonging with Sacred Walker

When a young immigrant moves to a new city, she must learn how to blend in and code-switch to survive. But no matter where she goes, she remembers one thing: she has chosen to believe that she lives in a friendly universe and she uses this knowledge to build brave spaces for others and to find her own sense of belonging. In this conversation, my guest, Sacred Walker, and I share our thoughts on being driven women in a world that projects assumptions onto us, and the courage it took to carve out our own unique paths of being and belonging.

Sacred's journey began in Kingston, Jamaica, and her experiences have taken her across the globe, including India and the United States. Using her expertise in creating intentional community spaces, Sacred has become a beacon of hope and inspiration for those seeking to foster genuine relationships while maintaining their own unique identities. 

Business Challenges of The Highly Creative

Struggling with a super-creative brain and feeling guilty about not taking action on your brilliant ideas? This episode will teach you what you need to do to balance creativity with consistency, spontaneity with structure, and brilliance with bandwidth, so you can finally put your genius ideas into action in your business and life.

Mic Drop Moment: 

"The people who move the needle in their business are not the ones with the perfect ideas. They are the ones who will take a good enough idea and put it in front of people, risking rejection, risking failure, but willing to get feedback  Stop overthinking, stop second-guessing, start taking action, and let the market decide."  Diann Wingert 

The Transformational Power of a Therapeutic Business Coach with Traci De Forge

This conversation recreates that transformation and how it impacted Traci's business model, leadership style, identity as a CEO, and the future of the company.  Her journey showcases the importance of addressing both mindset and business obstacles in achieving personal and professional growth. Whether you are new to The Driven Woman Entrepreneur Podcast or a long-time listener, chances are you have asked yourself “why would you choose to hire a business coach who was a licensed psychotherapist in a previous career?”  This Client Success Story episode does an exceptional job of demonstrating how my background, coupled with my business acumen and experience was the perfect combo for Traci De Forge, and it might be for you too.  

The Accidental Entrepreneur's Guide to Success

Are you an accidental entrepreneur who's been told to simply 'leverage your corporate skills' to make it as an entrepreneur --but have come to realize it's really not the same game? In this episode, I'll share how to overcome the hardships faced by unintentional entrepreneurship, recognize the skills you mastered in your previous career that will help you succeed in your own business, and cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset along the way.

I believe that accidental entrepreneurs are far more likely to be intentional and a lot less impulsive with our business decisions. We have a strong sense of responsibility, accountability, and a deep sense of regard for the impact of our decisions and actions on others.  This may slow us down a bit compared to entrepreneurs with a longer track record of risk taking, but it can definitely make the difference between success and failure.  

From Visionary to Implementer: Jancina Dyer's Identity Transformation

While most leaders in the beauty industry are half her age, Jan Dyer is just getting started as the founder, owner, and CEO of the Colorado Lash Company. She is a misfit entrepreneur, driven by passion and purpose, who left a successful career in ophthalmology to pursue her dream of owning a business in the beauty industry. 

What I love most about Jan’s story is that she is a true visionary but did not believe she could execute her brilliant ideas.  She bought course after course, took program after program, and even hired more than one coach, before deciding to work with me.  Even though she had felt stuck for years, she never gave up on her big vision and in just 12 weeks, the progress she made was absolutely transformational. 

Does Your Business Need a Makeover?

In this podcast episode, I guide you through the not-so-simple process of determining whether a business needs a makeover or not, exploring the impulses to blow things up vs. making a long-term investment in building a sustainable business. It can be hard to tell when it’s time for a business makeover because it can range from needing to work on communication and leadership skills, adjust expectations, or shift from a business that is merely financially successful to one that allows you to use your gifts and express your zone of genius. 

Many entrepreneurs have difficulty determining if a makeover is necessary, so it is often helpful to hire a small business strategist or coach to help you figure out the next steps. After all, who doesn’t love bringing some fresh new energy into what they spend most of their waking hours doing? 

From Limiting Beliefs to Leveling Up with Elyse Archer

Elyse Archer was stuck at the same income level for 10 years, trying to figure out how to break through without success. After a download of inspiration, she made the decision to invest in coaching and didn't tell anyone, knowing her decision would be met with doubt and skepticism.  This 'burn the boats” approach involved putting the deposit on a credit card and having absolutely no plan B. Elyse realized that no one was coming to save her and that she was the only one who could make the changes she wanted. This kind of decision can lead to a total disaster, but in Elyse’s case, it turned out to be exactly what she needed to get out of a ten-year holding pattern and start moving forward in a dramatic and powerful way. 

Navigating the Expert vs Thought Leader Debate

If you're looking to become a recognized expert or thought leader, this episode will show you how to maximize your credentials, expertise, and professional networks to get there. Unlock the secrets to establishing yourself as a thought leader by leveraging your connections.

"The term expert has really evolved in the last few years. It has gone from the definition of a person who has extensive knowledge and ability based on research, experience, education, occupation in a particular field to basically being somebody who knows a little bit more than the person they're trying to help."

Uncovering the Psychology Behind Writing Copy with Erin Ollila

Erin Ollila is an experienced writer and copywriter with an MFA in creative writing and a background in mental health. She is passionate about understanding human nature and using her expertise to help people make informed decisions about their businesses, especially in the words they choose and use to convey who they are, what they do, and the clients they are best suited to work with.  In other words, copywriting.  

Erin knows that the key to engaging copy is to speak to the reader and create an inviting journey. She believes that everyone has the capacity to write their own copy, but needs to keep an eye out for the pitfalls of poor advice that can make them think they are successful when they really aren’t. 

Unlocking Entrepreneurial Success with ADHD Using Systems & Support

If you have heard that ADHD is the “entrepreneur’s superpower” you might be more than a little confused.  Let’s face it, ADHD is a diagnosable neurobiological disorder that can create countless struggles in life.  So, which is it: superpower or disability?

In this episode, I will unpack some of the myths, misconceptions, and stereotypes regarding ADHA and entrepreneurship, share the three subtypes of ADHD and which one I see more often in successful female entrepreneurs, the need for support in business and life for those with ADHD, the importance of taking risks, developing resilience and leveraging hyperfocus and your zone of genius.  I will also clarify the difference between having ADHD traits and having an ADHD diagnosis. 

Unpacking Marketing Strategy with Claudia Schalkx: Standing Out With Your Secret Sauce

Today’s guest is Claudia Schalkx, my consultant, friend, and trusted advisor for all things marketing.  Claudia is a marketing strategist known for un-complicating marketing so your life gets much easier and you get better results from strategies created around YOU & YOUR business.

She firmly believes in customized things, whether it is clothing, coffee, chocolate, or, for that matter, marketing solutions, and developed a proprietary method that creates a customized marketing roadmap for her clients - in a way that’s both methodical and personalized!  I have been working with Claudia for over a year and can say firsthand that her approach is truly transformational.  

Navigating The Crisis of Confidence for Female Business Owners in 2023

In this podcast episode, I'm sharing my honest experiences of what I’m calling the current "Crisis of Confidence" among female business owners, grappling with the conflicting marketing messages, false promises, and broken systems that have left them feeling paralyzed and uncertain who they can trust to help them move forward.

This crisis is a result of the mass confusion and hysteria caused by the false promises of success in business ownership, the lack of funding and business loans, the exhaustion of keeping up with marketing messages, the difficulty of consistently creating quality content, and the distrust of female business coaches, consultants, and course creators. A no-BS approach and trusting in one's own inner wisdom is important in order to have a successful, sustainable business.

Owning Who You're Not & Fully Embracing Yourself: Unpacking Nicole Kalil's Confidence Journey

Nicole Kalil is an author, speaker, and leadership coach who has dedicated her work to helping women build their confidence and reach their full potential. She is the author of the book "Validation is for Parking" which explores the journey of self-discovery and embraces the unique gifts and talents of each individual.

We talked about how Nicole had a dream of writing a book for years but allowed fear to hold her back. Eventually, she realized her reasons were just excuses and took the leap. She eventually learned to trust herself, overcome the false messages of society and recognize her unique abilities while understanding that her worth lies beyond her physical appearance and pursuing success through the masculine lens. 

What to Expect During a Free Consultation

One of the practices in the coaching industry that I really dislike is the Discovery Call.  It sounds harmless, but most coaches have been trained to use manipulative tactics to "close leads" on these calls because what they don't tell you is that the purpose of the discovery call is for you to discover that you are in trouble and that coach is your solution.  Period. 

A free consultation is a way for potential clients to discover if the coach is the right fit for them and for the coach to determine if the client is adequately prepared to have a successful coaching outcome. It is different from a discovery call because it focuses on the client's needs, rather than the coach's agenda.

Transforming Your Identity by Writing a Best Selling Book with Kim O'Hara

Today's guest, Kim O'Hara was a Hollywood movie producer and screenwriter before transitioning to book coaching over 8 years ago.  Kim believes that everyone can write a book and that they often discover more about themselves through writing. Writing a book is much different than other forms of communication as it requires a transformation of identity and letting go of preconceived notions about ourselves and the book we are meant to write. Kim works with experts and thought leaders to help them write their books and believes that the process can lead to a great sense of both discovery and visibility.

Stop Getting Ready & Start Taking Action

This episode is all about a lesson I learned the hard way in my own business and want to help you learn it quicker: Taking Action vs. Getting Ready.  What I learned is that getting ready doesn't move the needle and that there is no participation trophy in business. I learned to trust my instincts and to have specific benchmarks to know when enough preparation and planning are enough.  We also need to be leaders to our clients and team by taking action, not just focusing on our mindset. Furthermore, we need to stop overdelivering and undercharging and be mindful of not getting lost in researching and overcomplicating our ideas.