The world, all the noise, and all the external directives have crossed our paths in so many ways we’ve lost the ability to trust ourselves, our own voice, our intention, and our life’s energy.

We must break this crippling cycle.

Yes, resistance will always be present. It shows up as a harsh voice that says, ‘you can’t do this’ or ‘you are not to be trusted.’

In the last year, I’ve been listening…deeply. In doing so, many things have been put into perspective, and I’ve found 3 trust practices I’m returning to time and time again.

These are sourced by something deeper, it’s not just a mental drive. It’s not the usual be more, do more, go-go-go. This came from silence and stillness.

We all have distractions at the click of our finger (or thumb, depending on how you roll) to keep us from the richer existence we’re craving. It’s my hope this episode highlights how you CAN trust your business to show you what lessons are next. And you CAN trust your life to get you up and out of old patterns.

Featured in this Episode

• The 6 P’s of Coaching
• The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur 
• Get your copy of The Soul-Sourced™ Entrepreneur
• If you liked this episode enough to give the show a five-star review, head over to iTunes and let me know.
• Nowhere Left To Go, from the Right Outta Nowhere Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

So while it’s December for the release of this episode, I want to give you permission to visit and revisit this process at any time. Pausing for reflections, future visioning, and setting intentions can happen whenever you feel called to it. 

When you find yourself in this space, taking the critical time to reflect on what you did (and didn’t do) is essential before you start to plan or set intentions for the future. 

In today’s episode, I walk you through the most potent questions from a popular tool here at Uplevel called The Plan. 

And I’ll wrap up with a powerful calendaring expertise that will change the way you feel about your time and priorities. Enjoy.

Featured in this Episode

• Ditch the New Year’s Resolution and set your Word of the Year
• Get your copy of The Soul-Sourced™ Entrepreneur
• If you liked this episode enough to give the show a five-star review, head over to iTunes and let me know.

You’re going to hear some of Sally’s story today. She owns a successful and profitable professional cleaning company… and just like many of us, she has some underlying money trauma. 

As we examine the question she sent to me after a recent Uplevel Cafe group coaching call, we’re going to explore this tender money topic. Because let’s face it, there is real fear around handing money, standing in your power when charging for your services, and the fear of people hating you because you’re successful.

Money and power are deeply related, and today you can begin to stand a little taller with a few small yet mighty shifts. I’m going to share some practices and beliefs that address this head-on to build long-lasting financial strength that starts from within.

This is a crucial part of your growth and expansion. You’re worth it. Your services are worth it. You’ve got this! 

Featured in this Episode

• Get your copy of The Soul-Sourced™ Entrepreneur
• Dan Kennedy’s Book - No BS Guide to Business Success
• Check out the Vision Board Pro™ program
• Learn more and join Uplevel Cafe

As I’ve followed my passion since 1993, I’ve gone through several evolutions from musician to solopreneur to a full-time team of 9 employees, and I’ve learned three key lessons about letting go.

The support, things, and people we need as we grow requires us to release what is no longer serving the direction we’re heading.

To stay aligned with your intention and build a business full of vision and desires, you must be present. And to do that, you can’t hold onto items, beliefs, or old mental patterns. You gotta let that shit go.

Endings are not failures. Explore these three points with me today and embrace you’re not a bad person or doing anything wrong when you let go and move forward. You’ll hear questions to ask yourself and ways to practice with small everyday things to build up that “Let it Go” confidence. You’ve got this!

I've done my fair share of hiring - and yes, firing - on various levels and in many formats since I started this company called Uplevel. My team has been as large as nine full-time employees, and as small as two contractors. So I’ve been in the trenches, gaining some hard-won lessons. And today, you and I are going to have a conversation about your team. I’ll walk you through 5 key points about team-building so you can step fully into the role of owner...and think clearly about your business and hiring needs with more awareness.

I’ll give you a hint. This is a lot about mindset, and really honoring your business. For instance, before you post an ad or hire that Virtual Assistant, have you taken the time to create a pre-hiring process for you to consider and think through - like, what role do you hire for first? This is the kind of thing that most fast-moving entrepreneurs forget to do. And they end up missing out on the best part about having a team: being able to build a bigger business.

If you learn and do this well, it will pay off. So let’s set you up for success. You’ll be creating your own valuable economy now, and that comes with a whole new set of responsibilities and considerations. Best to know those now and prepare for them. 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• 5 Energies of the Entrepreneur, episode 59 of the Soul-Sourced Business Podcast
• Uplevel Cafe - Get the Pre-Hiring Clarity Process
• The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur by Christine Kane (if you already own the book, I'd love if you leave a review on Amazon)
• Who by Geoff Smart
• Death by Meeting by Patrick M. Lencioni
• The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick M. Lencioni
• Rise, from the A Thousand Girls Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

I got a great question from one of our Uplevel Cafe members right before our group coaching call last week. It’s one of those questions I’m hearing across the board from entrepreneurs during these bizarre times we find ourselves. 

Her specific question was about hiring a VA (Virtual Assistant) or a full-time employee. But underneath that is a question raising to the forefront for many - it’s a sneaky one that can catch you off guard. And it has everything to do with your mindset and your power.

So in this short and sweet episode, I’ll walk you through the differences between contracting and expanding in business and how to step back into yourself, decide where your talent and your heart need to focus right now.

Featured in this Episode

• Uplevel Cafe is open! A business school for Soul-Sourced entrepreneurs like you.
• If you liked this episode enough to give the show a five-star review, head over to iTunes and let me know.
• Let’s Roll, from the This Time Last Year Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

Last week, I hosted my quarterly virtual retreat with my M-Club Mastermind clients. We began with some powerful introduction activities to get into their business and take simple actions that have big impacts. And that got me thinking about the essential energies we Soul-Sourced business owners need to successfully run a business.

These are the building blocks of a sustainable business and often the things we tend to put off that can really impact our bottom line. Treating your business as a business and embracing the owner mentality versus the employee mentality and how that changes everything. 

So today, I’ll walk through each of these 5 energies and how you can work with them, and the possible support you can get to ensure that energy is operating at its highest efficiency. 

These are key awarenesses about the unique business owner you are and understanding how to make the most of that. How you use yourself, your time, and your energy in a way that is based around your business. 

These five principles might be all-new for some, and if not, it’s a nice review and reminder of who you are. Whether you’ve heard something like this before or not, incorporating these basics allows you to run a truly Soul-Sourced business. Enjoy.

Featured in this Episode

• Uplevel Cafe is open! A business school for Soul-Sourced entrepreneurs like you.
• 6 P’s of Coaching - Episode 5
• If you liked this episode enough to give the show a five-star review, head over to iTunes and let me know.
• I Am The Moon, from the Wide Awake Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

Learning to run your business in an elegant, entrepreneurial way requires a paradigm shift from functioning in reactionary energy into a more proactive way of thinking and working.

Today you'll hear about what I call the C.R.A.P cycle - both what it is, and why it's an ineffective way to operate for the long run. Because let's face it, running around knee-deep in shit, stress, and anxiety isn't going to help your Empire Mentality.

You'll hear what started me thinking differently in my business. I'll give you 3 steps to do the same in yours if you didn't consider the model, the sustainability of the model, or the income streams. 

This isn't an episode to beat yourself over. It's an invitation to run your business in a way that better serves and supports you. I'll share ways you can think more creatively about how you work with clients, plus an (optional) assignment to help retrain your brain so you can start running your business instead of letting it run you.

Featured in this episode:

• Uplevel Café is open! < Learn more
• How To Be Real, from the Wide Awake Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

You might be wondering exactly what dogs and Universes have to do with each other. Throughout today's episode, you'll hear this mystery unravel with Emmy's story and her dog Brutus.

I've found a gap in the visualization practice and figured out why it never worked for me or my clients. The method I share today is one you can do in an instant - no need to set aside extra time in your already cramped day.

Far too often, we feel a little cray-cray with all the mental chatter going on before doing something - even small everyday things like grocery shopping (you'll hear all about my early days of shopping for organic food as a “starving artist.”).

I'll give you one hint right now: There's more to this than what you're looking at (where visualization focuses). You must consider where you're looking from (psst, the magic is hiding here). This isn't about control or manipulation. Rather it's a level of alignment for yourself when you show up for situations.

I'll wrap today's episode with an assignment, should you choose to accept it. I'm pretty confident you will :) When you do, watch what happens to your energy. You'll notice an internal shift as our pre-conditioned responses lose their powerful grip on your thoughts.

Featured in this Episode

• If you liked this episode enough to give the show a five-star review, head over to iTunes and let me know.
• 4 Legs Good, 2 Legs Bad, from the Right Outta Nowhere Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music  or YouTube Music

My first retreat was a total game-changer for me and my journey as a Soul-Sourced™ entrepreneur, and I’ll reveal the humble beginnings of how my music career naturally led me here. I even share an “out there” exercise I taught during this retreat that I still use today :) 

These smaller in-person gatherings are an amazing way to serve people and build the connections that lead to a loyal following and clients. Plus, they can serve as a foundation for your larger event once you’re back in the big room. 

You’ll hear my top 10 list of things I’ve learned in my years of hosting my own retreats and masterminds that you can use as a how-to guide for everything from finding participants and selecting the location to creating content and planning the agenda. 

Spoiler: These aren’t the usual how-to tips you hear about hosting retreats... this is all stuff that I either (unconsciously) did well in planning and hosting my retreats or lessons I picked up along the way.

When you’re a Soul-Sourced™ entrepreneur, you are a creator and a thought leader. As the one in charge of managing a team and guiding your clients, it’s important to stay cognizant of where your energy is going.

There are energetic repercussions of being inundated with the world’s thoughts, so let’s look at the nitty-gritty of what opinions really do to our hearts and souls. 

Listen in for a story from my early touring musician days that may seem unrelated on the surface but highlights just how tricky we can be to ourselves. 

This episode quickly unpacks how projections/thoughts/reactions impact our psyche and ways you can manage your energy and power when you’re participating (or not) in the cacophony of public opinion.

Writing your bio is a daunting task that pushes all your ego and confidence buttons. Even if you’ve hired the best copywriter around, they can’t write your bio without a heavy dose of your input. So before you set off on your great bio writing adventure, it'll serve you to know what you're doing in this activity of writing about yourself. 

I’ll address the eternal “do I use first or third person” dilemma, and share my thought process around the choices I made when writing my about page, so you can make decisions about writing yours. As we shift through these do’s and don’ts, you’ll begin to understand the different forms your bio takes depending on where it’s being used.

And as everything makes more sense with real-life examples, you'll hear the answer to a question from our Uplevel Cafe community. A member was recently thrown off guard when asked for a resume, so let's inspect the distinctions between an entrepreneurial bio and a work resume. Spoiler: I've included a response you can use in your business if you get this question a lot.

If you're wondering, "Does everyone else write the perfect bio on the first go?" I've got good news for you - no. No one ever gets this in one shot. To illustrate that, I read the original version of a colleague's bio (with permission, of course) to highlight a common mistake she made and then tell you what we did to fix it.

Listen out for a pro bio-writing tip that’ll help you prevent overwhelm as you get started and an exercise to do before writing that makes the whole process easier. Cheers.

Featured in this Episode

• The Sunday Summit Series – RSVP Now! A live experience to awaken your inner wisdom and boost your productivity. 
• How Not To Behave, from the Wide Awake Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music  or YouTube Music

Today's episode was sparked by a fantastic share inside our private Uplevel Cafe Facebook Group. After completing several Sunday Summits - a unique ritual for your energy, mindset, and productivity - one of my peeps got a huge a-ha:  Unmade decisions were killing her brain.

I loved this for a few reasons. One, she was doing her weekly practice - that's huge all on its own. Two, she was seeing patterns and making small changes that created big shifts for her business.

She realized unmade decisions could no longer be a thing. Today, I want to help you do the same thing.

I'm referring to Chapter 21 from my book, The Soul Sourced™ Entrepreneur.  It's a chapter called This is Your Brain On Decisions. And my intention is to create a pattern-interrupt as you listen today!

I'll also share more about The Sunday Summit and how you can put it into practice and experience the power of this tool. Plus, I'm excited about The Sunday Summit Series, where you'll have me there as your coach - live and in-person -  for the first three Sundays in August!

If unmade decisions are draining you right now, they're taking away vital energy that could be used to generate ideas and income. This episode is about maximizing the use of your time and creativity and exactly how to do just that.

Featured in this Episode

• The Sunday Summit Series – RSVP Now! A special three-part experience to awaken your inner wisdom and boost your productivity.
• Seasons Changing, from the Wide Awake Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

It’s episode 52 of the Soul Sourced™ Business Podcast, which means I’ve followed through on a full year of writing and recording this show! 

As a way to commemorate the occasion - and to honor the huge role you play as a listener - I’m going to teach you the Awesomeness Habit.

We’ll cover 3 insights you need to understand before creating your own practice, and delve into the importance of celebrating your accomplishments, no matter how big or small. 

I’ll share a comment from our Uplevel Cafe that propelled me to talk about this topic, and tell you the story of the first time I really got the power of the practice. Discover the key to create momentum on your path to mastery… and learn how to stand in your power where you already are today.

Plus! Find out about the cool gift I’m opening up in August that will help make your Awesomeness Habit a habit, while also preparing you for the September “flood of productivity” that comes every year.

Featured in this Episode

• The Sunday Summit Series - RSVP Now! A special three-part experience to awaken your inner wisdom and boost your productivity. 
• The Good You Do, from the Right Outta Nowhere Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

Today's episode was sparked by a client who sent me an idea for the title and subtitle of her upcoming book. She was uncertain and wanted my input.

I knew exactly how she felt and the frustrations she'd faced. I could sense the impending hands tossed in the air with papers flying everywhere and her forehead landing on the desk as she stared at her feet, hoping clarity would suddenly strike. 

So here we are, and today I'm offering up the accelerated path to writing titles and subtitles that feel good and garner your readers' attention.

You'll hear about the instruction my editors offered. The lessons I learned from inspecting book subtitles I admired, some from best sellers (and a few I'd never read). Hear how I turned inward along with a few of my shitty first attempts that helped lead me to the final selection. 

All this effort and energy was well worth it. But my friend, you can take the express lane today. Tune in for some guidance, caveats, and considerations to take into your books, blog posts, email subject lines, and beyond. Enjoy.

Featured in this Episode

• Uplevel Café is now open! < Learn more
• A Thousand Girls, from the A Thousand Girls Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

One of the biggest lessons I’ve discovered over my years of coaching and doing online launches is that sometimes shit just doesn’t work the way you want it to. That’s especially true for people in the beginning stages of their business.

Today’s topic is inspired by a message I received on Facebook that read, “I only had one person sign up for my thing. What do I do now?” 

So, I kick this off with a vulnerable story from my early music days. Then, I share the lessons I got that couldn’t have come any other way except the hard way.  (Plus, I’ll introduce you to Jim - a janitor I met who became a pivotal touchstone as my music career evolved toward success.) 

After, we’ll take a practical look at what to do in your own business when things don’t pan out as expected. You’re going to hear a different perspective on the value of your email list and how you approach it that could shift your business and how you approach sending emails.

I’ll walk you through the choices you have when you only get a couple of sign-ups or only person shows for your event. Plus, I’ll offer a couple of strategies for moving forward so when it happens (because it will), and now you’ll know exactly what to do.

Featured in this Episode

• On the Blog: Not Enough Readers, Fans, or Peeps: What to Do When Your Numbers Are Embarrassingly Low
• If you liked this episode enough to give the show a five-star review, head over to iTunes and let me know.
• Crack of Blue, from the This Time Last Year Album - Listen to the full song on Apple Music or YouTube Music

If you spend more time beating yourself up for not doing the important thing than you do just making it happen, I’m here to help. Tune in for a few strategies to be more consistent in your work, and a few habits that’ll take you from inspiration to realization and beyond.

You know the drill. It starts with, “OMG this is genius!” and ends in self-judgment over your failure to follow through … again. But if there’s anything I’ve learned in my career, both as a musician and a coach, it’s that no matter what it is, consistently doing anything brings consistent results. 

Today’s episode is inspired by someone who, from a place of self-flagellation over dropping the ball with their own ideas, asked how I was able to stay consistent with this podcast. 

Thing is, because I’ve created two businesses and had great levels of success, there’s a certain perception of me and how I function as an entrepreneur. So, today, first and foremost, I’ll pull back the curtains on my own challenging ADD brain. Then I’ll tag in a few considerations to take in before we jump into the topic of consistency.

We’ll discuss how we’ve all been affected by the collective change in the way the world works these days, and I’ll give you a peek into the way I work with Enneagram and the Kolbe A™  Index to keep myself and my clients on track with their goals. 

Tune in to get a clearer understanding of ways you are (and aren’t) motivated or productive on your own, plus I’ll share 3 simple, straightforward strategies I use to stay focused and moving forward … even when it’s (occasionally) the last thing I want to do.

Featured in this Episode:

• On the Blog: This is Just What I Do

Today I’m taking a gander at some big assumptions that come with hosting online events, the kind that get you in trouble and make you fall flat. Then, I’ll share some clear action steps to ensure your success is guaranteed.

Here at Uplevel World Headquarters, we've done our events and retreats online over the last year. Yes, we’ve been hosting virtual events all along, but the big difference these days is they're now all online. 

I've been on some kind of stage for over two decades, and each event always provides a learning experience. 

From music gigs (back in the day), to creative leadership training workshops for the Federal Government (for reals). Then hosting small retreats here in Asheville with 20 to 30 people.  And lastly, our bigger events with several hundred folks in attendance.

Today, I’m taking an unconventional approach - surprise :) And I’m sharing not just what goes wrong - but the mindset behind it that makes it go wrong in the first place. 

Then, of course, we’ll peek under the hood of these mindsets to see what’s hiding under there and I’ll show you what action to take to make your online event or workshop or retreat much more powerful and effective.

Featured in this Episode:

• The Art of Gathering, by  Priya Parker
• Breeze, from the A Thousand Girls Album - Listen to the full song on iTunes or YouTube Music

Let’s look at the definition of ‘wing it’ to start, shall we…. wing it: to do something with no preparation. I would take that one step further and say, actions taken while winging it lack intention.

When I’ve spoken about this topic previously during our in-person MClub mastermind retreats, this is the point where heads start to turn and I see the look… you know, where everyone asks ‘isn’t winging it normal for a solo entrepreneur!?’

Well my friend, allow me to share one of the key “broken business models” that plagues the typical entrepreneur… this will further expand and uncover some things that may have you privately confessing to have ‘done that.’

But don’t worry, I’m going to share the story of a client who rose above some crazy odds and owned where she was going, and you’ll hear why - as a single mom who found herself jobless when the COVID craziness started - she simple couldn’t wing it.

And you’ll hear how you can follow exactly what she did and how you can use the same tools and resources to attract clients quickly - she had 7 new clients in a week and don’t fall over when you hear how many right-fit clients she had after 3 weeks.

So over to you, hit that play button, and see how you can move away from that reaction energy and uplevel your business and your income and your mindset - and your life. Enjoy.

Featured in this Episode:

• Uplevel Café is now open!

Today I’m changing things up. I’m sharing my 5 favorite books on writing, but not as a direct recommendation (they’re not for everybody). Instead, I’m sharing what lessons they offer about navigating perfectionism, distractedness, and other mental gymnastics of the writing process.

I recently hosted a charity breakfast for the Carolina Resource Center for Eating Disorders. After the event, a woman told me she wanted to write her first book. Ever the coach, I quickly shared a few books that helped me most, and it surprised me when she hadn’t heard of them… mostly because they’ve been so ubiquitous in my life.

Afterwards, I was inspired to record this episode and pass on some of the lessons these books handed to me. First, because they’ve taught me so much about writing, and also because they offer so much insight into life in general. 

Each book had a tremendous impact on me as a writer (two of them in particular, as you’ll hear on the show), and helped me develop a greater understanding of myself and allow my first book The Soul-Sourced™ Entrepreneur book to come to life. 

Soak in the wisdom from these incredible titles, discover some common truths about the writing process, and I’ll even share some tips on how to step out of the perfectionist left-brain world, and go deeper into the flow of your creativity, and the perception of yourself as a writer. 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Learn more about Uplevel Café
• Brenda Ueland, “If You Want to Write”
• Julia Cameron, “The Artist’s Way”
• Natalie Goldberg, “Writing Down the Bones”
• Anne Lamott, “Bird by Bird”
• Stephen King, “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft”

NOTE:  This is not an anti-marketing rant.  This is not a new set of rules to follow. This is my story of what worked for me. 

I’m going to walk you through 7 marketing rules (that I spent over $1M in coaching and mentoring to learn) and the reasons I decided they didn’t work for me. You’ll also hear why I believe I was still able to build two pretty darn successful businesses despite my choice to go rogue.

Get my candid take on traditional strategies like list-building and joint ventures. Find out what I think of social media as a marketing tool. Then I’ll dispel some marketing shoulds, nevers, and always-es that actually block your ideal clients.

I’m also sharing some exciting news about Uplevel Café. And, proposing a business challenge to help you make the most of this summer while the world opens back up. 

My hope is that by telling you what I’ve done (and haven’t done), you’ll be inspired to dig deep and figure out what works best for you, too.

Featured in this Episode

• The One Thing I Know, from the Rain and Mud and Wild and Green Album - Listen to the full song on iTunes or YouTube Music

Today’s episode is brought to you courtesy of a recent New York Times article that gave the American people yet another lame diagnosis...that we are all “languishing.” (The article went viral. Americans eat this stuff up.) 

Later that week, I got a message from a client telling me that she read the article and thought she, too, might be “languishing.” Then she asked if she thought it was a good idea to hire one of those high-performance coaches to kick her ass back into shape.

Hold. The. Phone.

Is that the answer we need right now? Do you really need judgment and military-grade bootcamps? 

Nope. Nada. Nix. 

Today I have a reframe to offer you. Thinking space and reflection. A natural way of being (shocker!). Plus, you’ll get a sneak peek into two lessons directly from a brand-spankin’ new Uplevel Cafe mini-coaching series called “The Soul-Sourced Mindset Intensive.”

Together we will boldly flip it around. To embody the service, progress, and beauty of your business - rather than the “never enoughs.” To see the life force of your business - and access the undeniable truth of what your work is all about. 

And my friend...you are NOT languishing. A Soul-Sourced business owner simply does not buy into this messaging. Instead, it’s about going within, accessing those deeper wells and seeing your energy for what it is, and then renewing and restoring. Give it a listen.

Any time we make a change, prepare to uplevel, have something new to implement … our fears come up, our ego gets mouthy, and our mind starts playing tricks to keep us comfortable and in a place where we feel like we know what we’re doing.

Today, I’m reading a passage from my book, The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur, that is perfect for any time we’re about to embrace transformation. It’s called “The Bright, Shiny Intention Killer: Ego Bling,” and it’s a deep dive into what makes our minds resistant to change and the ways our ego tries to sabotage our upleveling at every turn.

I’ll explain what Ego Bling is. Offer advice on how to avoid its pitfalls. And I share my own story of how hard it was to let go of something my ego got super attached to, despite how unhappy it made me feel. 

I also take a break from reading the passage to share some real-time stories of clients who are going through it right now with all these changes in the world. And one about a particular person who got really triggered by this section in the book.

Plus, I’ll share a bonus tidbit about an interaction I had with my editor after he read my Ego Bling section for anyone into a behind-the-scenes look at the ego-bruising work involved in writing a book.

There once lived a cockroach in New York City that played a huge role in my success as an entrepreneur, and in my belief of the power of storytelling. 

Listen in as I share a bit from my why story of the day I met that little bastard, the way he changed the trajectory of my career, and how sharing the horrifying tale at shows helped sell as many CDs as my music. 

You’ll also meet Gwen (not her real name), a client who followed her gut to share her ‘why’ story in a meeting (great idea!), and hear the tough lessons she learned when she unleashed it without a plan (less great idea). 

Using Gwen’s story as an example, we’ll walk through key elements of crafting a good why story, and take a look at where and when to share it. We’ll identify the fine line between vulnerability and oversharing, and I’ll introduce you to the concept of turning your why story into a signature story. 

We’ll go over exactly what a signature story is and I’ll explain the importance of using it in your marketing. Plus, I’ll teach you how your own ‘why’ story can help you connect more to your business and yourself.

Although I’ve come a long way as a coach and entrepreneur, I would never present myself as someone who has it all figured out. Life is a journey of learning and evolving, and your business is an extension of that.

Today I’m telling a recent story about how I was tempted to allow triggered energy into an inappropriate public situation. I share the valuable advice my friend offered that helped me manage an extraordinarily intimidating and infuriating situation.   

In business, at some point, we have to deal with conflicts. It’s all in how we refocus our brain to find solutions instead of sinking into problems. 

And, if you’re up for it, I’ve got a one-week challenge to help you gain a clearer understanding of your energy and discover you have more power to manage it than you believe. 

The end goal is not to make every interaction conflict-free. (As if!) It’s about honing the skill to interpret every circumstance in a different light. And when you get it down, it’s really a beautiful way to approach your

As a Soul-Sourced™ entrepreneur, the service your provide is an innate part of who you are. You’re great at it, and you can do it in your sleep. And you’ve helped so many people! Still, it’s really hard to describe something that comes so naturally to you. At some point, you must develop the ability to articulate what you do and why it matters.

Today, we’re going to dispel a common myth about what “good marketing” is, and I’ll share how to look at your work through a marketer’s eyes as well as the key to connect your message to your audience.  

I’m going to lean on a training model I teach my clients (and the members of  Uplevel Café), I’m sharing the foundational elements that build the core essence of your business, aaaand ....  I’ll reveal the #1 thing every serious marketer needs to know about their content. 

Plus, learn a 3-minute pre-work exercise that will help you clarify your unique abilities and the value you provide to your clients. Because at the end of the day, good marketing is just good communication! Click play, and let’s get started.

During the early days of my music career, I had the hardest time with all the learning curves that came with selling myself. Who knew what intense energy sales had, or what a powerful force-field it is, especially for us sensitive types? (What about “build it and they will come”? Or “Do what you love and the money will follow?”)

Eventually, I figured it out, and now, I want to share the things I wish someone had told me when I began this entrepreneur adventure. 

And, as with many of the Soul-Sourced Business episodes, I’m telling one of those “did she really just share that?” stories about one of my first attempts at selling myself. Yes, it’s slightly pathetic. But my intention is that you realize that no one nails this sales stuff out the gate!

Then, I’m going to share a pre-sales process I built first for myself and then for my clients. It will help clear negativity, doubt and fear about selling. Best of all it’ll do this when you need it most:  right before you have to make that offer to someone.  

If you have any crappy feelings, assumptions or associations with sales, this one’s for you because when done correctly sales is a deep service to your prospective clients. 

Common signs of overwhelm: Well, aside from Netflix binges (or just name your favorite avoidance tactic), you say things like, “Oh my God, I'm not going to be able to handle all of this!” Or “I'm not cut out for this!” These are crafty ways that our minds shut us down or send us into patterns that are unhealthy, like distractions, or doing little non-activities. Essentially this shuts us down.

These are red flags that you have too much going on in your brain! In my 15 years of coaching and 25 years of running my own business, and well … being human, I’ve recognized two major ways people experience overwhelm. 

Today I’ll teach you those two ways, plus a habit I developed to proactively manage my personal panic mode. I’ll also give you a brain dump exercise to combat your own overwhelm patterns. And you’ll discover how the art of the brain dump works for managing our deluge of responsibilities, obligations, and expectations (self-imposed or otherwise).

Your brain is not a container. You need to clear it out and allow your brain to be the tool you can use! Trust me, this method is surprisingly effective for your productivity. Give it a shot, and you'll see.

Mentioned in this episode:

> Get on the waiting list for Uplevel Cafe.

I'd like to introduce you to a quarterly cadence ritual, or process if you will - but this goes deeper than financial spreadsheet or business goals. 

At the end of every quarter, I take myself and my M-Club Mastermind through this realignment process, and over the years this has become one of the most beloved and powerful business tools for our clients.

This is about giving yourself the opportunity to review the last three months and to reset yourself for the coming quarter. I’m pulling the curtain back on this retreat-like ritual where you can tune in, come back to center, re-anchor to your word of the year and reflect in a much bigger manor. 

With this you can look at what’s working, what’s not, and where you want to place your focus next. Plus, I’ve sprinkled in examples of how I do this each quarter. Tune in as I walk you through the steps that I and 1000s of my clients have used to intentionally evaluate their business.

Today’s episode is inspired by John David Mann - who I’m a huge fan of - and a little ebook he calls How to Write Good (Or At Least Gooder). I grabbed a copy one morning last week, and it’s one of those reads I just couldn’t put down once I started.

As I prepared for this episode I sat down to write, of course, and pondered the endless types of writing and lessons from my first writing coach. 

So I present to you, a few fundamental truths about the process that I’ve discovered about the writing process itself. 

You can take these and apply them to the next project you sit down to write - so you’re a lot less critical and overwhelmed by the writing process.

Soak in wisdom from a super cool author, hear about the common traps and patterns that hinder thoughts from flowing into the page, and I’ve even tossed a big secret no one ever talks about when it comes to organizing the content of your book. Enjoy.

We know pricing and self worth go hand-in-hand, but actually achieving that is a tricky, perhaps elusive endeavor. When you approach such a beefy topic you must check on your mindset before digging in.

Today, you’ll hear the story of me learning to own my value as a musician and a performer, and I’ll share insight around how my client went from charging $75/hour to selling $35,000 VIP packages. 

There’s a particular sneaky mental justification philosophy that entrepreneurs tend to fall into when they’re determining their pricing structure. I’m going to expose these, call them out, and explain why none of them provide a solid enough foundation for building your packages.

Learn the key mistake us emotional and sensitive types make in business when it comes to setting rates, because let’s face it - yes, this is personal work! This episode is packed with concepts about the path to own your value and charge what you’re worth that you probably haven’t heard before. 

This week I’m offering up a quick dose of business coaching. You’re going to hear the story of my very first operations manager and an awareness that was birthed from weekly frustrations we faced. 

And, I’ll share the details of the shifts we made in how we managed meetings (and productivity) so we kept an eye on big picture strategy while also managing day-to-day business. You can apply this in your own business immediately.

This is a “think more clearly” episode, with a dose of “get more done,” too. Whether you’re working with a team, or running things all on your own, this episode will help you prioritize, strategize and lose the overwhelm that comes with growing a business. 

Featured in this episode:

• “Death by Meeting” by Patrick Lencioni
• Nowhere Left To Go, from the Right Outta Nowhere Album - Listen to the full song on iTunes or YouTube Music

Today you’re going to meet a client of mine who believed setting big intentions would manifest the motivation she needed to make them happen. Spoiler: it didn’t. She called this a “procrastination problem” but it was actually something much more sneaky.  

Big aspirations aren’t the driving factor for us from day to day. Surprisingly, it’s more about the progress we make towards a big goal. There’s more to the energy of completion than simply marking a task off your to-do list.

To demonstrate how this works, I’m sharing my 3-step method to maining progress with large goals and managing expectations for yourself - because we’re not robots here, there’s something more that drives us. 

You’ll hear how I trained my brain to embrace the process of songwriting, and the game-changing trick I teach all my clients that finally gets the pesky lizard brain to focus on one thing at a time. 

You may be surprised how this simple approach dramatically improves your energy level as a business owner so you feel good every step of the way towards that big achievement!

So on today’s episode, I changed things up a bit.  I hit the record button and simply offered up the exact coaching I’d give a private client facing some of these challenges. 

And of course, it’s got a lot more to do with your energy and your soul than you might first realize. We’ll talk sales copy, offers, pricing, and help you get clarity about the value you provide. And we’ll take it to a much deeper level than your average bear.

“Tell me how to write a sales page!” It’s a common question. And the answer begins with what I share in this episode.

My advice may be surprising at first. That’s because this isn’t about putting some words on a page that magically makes customers whip out their credit cards. (It’s better than that!)

First, we’ll take a few steps back to understand the importance of knowing the deeper value of your services and products, and gaining clarity on what you bring to the table. (HINT: Anyone who struggles with self-worth needs this part!)

Get a glimpse of lessons I learned in my early musical days that helped me Uplevel my prices. Get inspired by the story of a client who was under-selling herself for far too long, and the transformation she had.

Oh, and listen in for one of the biggest dangers in marketing, that every entrepreneur makes at some point. I’ll even give you a go-to question to ask yourself every time.

The key to selling isn’t about knowing sleazy words or NLP persuasion. It’s about tapping into the energy of your business, your offer, and your clients. So let’s get started.

For the first time on the show, I’m going to put you in the role of the coach so you can spot the little messy language mishaps that can turn into big huge messy business mishaps. 

You’ll learn how to catch yourself using a common communication technique. It’s a socially-accepted technique that powerless and fearful people use to manipulate conversations. But sadly, some of us have learned to use it in our own internal conversations.  

To remedy this conditioned mental pattern, I’ll give you a list of questions to ask yourself that will help you stop the pattern in its tracks and take your power back.  The goal is to help you recondition the old, ineffective ways you’ve used to derail yourself in the past, help you see the huge impact your language has on your ability to navigate decisions, and give you clarity to make better choices in the future.

The conclusion of last week’s episode was a cliffhanger with my client Vanessa’s struggle, and that’s where we’ll pick up today. (If you missed the beginning of her story, check it out here: The Practice of Finding Your Power)

Today hear what Vanessa learned about her business and communications system when we dug deeper into her issues with non-compliant (lazy? overwhelmed?) clients. I’ll share what not only helped her recognize her role in the immediate problem, but also to identify where she could adjust her overall system to avoid similar situations in the future.

I’ll give you 5 questions to ask yourself about your business and your clients, and we’ll look at several ways you can uplevel your systems to set your clients up for success in your work together. 

Learn about the two different levels of problems we face, plus how to handle a breakdown in your system without losing forward momentum in your business … AKA how to change a tire while driving 120MPH. 

You’ll also hear the value of sharing your wisdom in your marketing message, and I’ll share my take on the misconception that marketing stops once you sign on your client.

Your business is one of the best places to use real-life challenges to break yourself open and expand everything about you. The work we're doing in this episode, while complex and sometimes tedious, is one of the best ways to experience that expansion. Let’s dig in!

This week, I’m sharing a section I wrote for my book “The Soul-Sourced™ Entrepreneur” that didn’t make it into the final version. Although it didn’t quite work for print, I’m going to use this story of my first pull up to teach you something that has had a transformational impact on me, as well as 100s of my clients.

I’ll outline the two different ways we manage our power (or mindset or energy) when things go off the rails, and I’ll give you a method to build your awareness of your triggers and reactions so you can start to leverage your “missteps” and “failures” to uplevel your business.

I’ll share how you can use your challenges as a guiding light for what to work on next in your business, and introduce you to the eccentric approach (pronounced E-centric) for building your entrepreneurial muscles to stand in your power no matter what seemingly negative thing comes your way.

Hear the story of a client who’s short fuse with her flaky clients blocked her from making the changes her challenges were pointing her toward, plus you’ll get a little homework assignment to up your awareness and understanding of the triggers and barriers in your own business. Check it out and enjoy!

If you haven’t heard episode 28, The Enneagram & The Entrepreneur, be sure to listen as I dive into this valuable tool as it applies to business owners. It covers the basics of what the Enneagram is, the 5 things I’ve discovered about the types over the last 20 years, and how it can be used as a tool to connect both your personal growth and business success.

After I recorded last week’s episode, I posted about the Enneagram on Facebook and the comments were so compelling and enlightening, I decided to bring the conversation here to the Soul-Sourced™ Podcast. 

I’m answering questions directly from my Facebook page and addressing some common misconceptions about the Enneagram. I explain more about the difference between the Enneagram and other personality tests like StrengthsFinders and Myers-Briggs, and I share my tips for the best way to identify your number. 

Learn what happens when you start to really understand your number and use it to navigate the complex terrain of your thoughts, knee-jerk reactions and fears … without judgment.

The Enneagram is one of my favorite topics, and this week I’m sharing 5 ‘things’ I’ve discovered about its potential to impact your business and yourself as an entrepreneur. 

We’ll cover the relationship between the Enneagram and entrepreneurship, and I’ll explain the vital difference between the Enneagram and other personality tests, like the Myers-Briggs or StrengthsFinders. 

Hear the story of how I first discovered the Enneagram (or actually, how it made its way to me), and the way it helped me not only get to the essence of who I am, but also to embrace that truth so I could make the shifts I wanted without spiraling into judgment or shame (or at least WAY less than usual).

I share the story of a typical “pattern and trigger” in a business situation that almost cost one of my clients $12K, and the tale of another client who almost sabotaged her success when she got three new high-paying clients.  Luckily, the lessons of the enneagram helped both of these entrepreneurs turn around their typical reaction.

The Enneagram is so much more than a personality test. It’s a lifetime path that can help you uncover and overcome patterns, reactions or fixations that block you from growing into the entrepreneur you want to be. If you’re someone who’s more about the “becoming” side of goals than the “getting” part, this is the episode for you.

Featured in this Episode

• The Enneagram & The Entrepreneur - happening Jan 20th and 21st, 2021
• Order The Soul-Sourced™ Entrepreneur
• Where You Are, from the This Time Last Year Album - Listen to the full song on iTunes or YouTube Music 

This whole Word-of-the-Year really took flight with my community back in 2006 when I wrote a blog post about the process. The following year, I opened my blog up for guest writers to share their stories of how one word changed their lives. And as the saying goes, the rest is history.

In today's episode, we're going to explore intention differently, centered around choosing a single word, by giving you some ideas for setting up the coming year for your own expansion and success.

I'll explain the differences between the do-have-be scenario that typical resolutions follow and how the be-do-have has worked for myself, my clients, and 1000s that have used the Word- of- the- Year Discovery Tool since it's creation in 2014.

You'll hear my 3 main guidelines when it comes to choosing your word of the year - followed by what we now call “thea bunny story” (yes, it’s another dog story that fits perfectly!)thanks to my doggy co-stars) that will bring this all to life in the most straightforward fashion.

All of this is to offer you one of the most powerful tools you can wield. It's not a rule or a “should” or a punishment. This is about finding guidance, not cracking the whip. It's about how a single word can manifest what your life is calling out of you right now. Enjoy.

This one falls into the category of episodes I call, “If I can do it, so can you.” I’m sharing the nitty-gritty side of what I’ve experienced as an entrepreneur to help you see the reality of what “business success” looks like. 

To kick it off, I’m gonna get really open and honest with a story from when I was working with my first coach on one of my biggest obstacles at the time: fear of rejection.

Hear about the sneaky tactic my coach used to get me to take big action toward my musical aspirations and how it not only got me over my fears but eased me into making my goals a reality.

I’ll share with you the 5 steps I learned that help you take real action toward your intentions, plus a bonus step to prepare you for potential rejection (and help you give less of a shit when it shows up.)

Let’s dig in to uncover the truth behind your fear of rejection and give you the tools to move beyond it to the next level. 

After years of not only observing myself, but also helping 100’s (if not 1000’s) of entrepreneurs break their cycle of intention followed by inaction, I’ve learned quite a bit about what leads to this particular brand of procrastination, and what it takes to end it. 

This week, I share the top reasons people have for not doing the things they set their sights on, and dig into the fears and anxiety behind their reasons (excuses) so you can take a closer look at your own.

Hear the conversation I had that led to me owning my path as a musician, and I’ll share what one of my first coaches said that both embarrassed me (in a supportive way) and empowered me to stop buying into my own stories so I could start making solid moves toward success.

You’ll also hear about the “8 Waits” that keep us from taking action toward our dreams, if not literally destroying them altogether, and I’ll give you tips on moving from setting an intention to making the commitment to see it through. 

The idea’s not only to nudge you forward with what you’ve got brewing now, but also get you prepared to face the dreadful “waits” when they crop up again next time.

At its core, your marketing is simply communication... and when it’s done well, it’s a high level service you provide for your ideal client. And, in order to communicate well, you have to put in the work to understand who you’re selling to and why they need or want what you have to offer. 

Thus, “slow down to speed up.” 

Listen in for 5 takeaways to help you understand what might not be working in your current marketing and get tips on how to help you see it as a service for your ideal clients. 

We’ll clarify who your ideal client is through understanding who they are not, and I’ll share a cautionary tale about an entrepreneur who held on to a toxic business relationship for far too long. 

Then we’ll touch on the topic of money and where it really comes from, the difference between knowing a client’s demographics and knowing their dreams, and we’ll talk about where you fit into the whole equation of connecting your marketing to your ideal client.

Warning: the kind of deep dive I’m suggesting requires that you dedicate some serious time and effort, but if you can tear yourself away from the cycle of reactivity and panic (CRAP cycle) long enough to put the work in, I promise it’ll pay off.

Today, we’re going to examine the ways we get triggered when things don’t work according to plan, and how to use that awareness to institute a new, more effective way of responding so you don’t get freaked out when things get out of whack.

I’m sharing a passage from what might be my favorite business book ever. It’s called, “Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business” by restauranteur Danny Meyer, then digging into his management style and giving you my take on his “salt shaker method.” 

You’ll hear 3 hallmarks of effective leadership according to Meyer, and learn how to incorporate the principle of “constant gentle realignment” in your business and life to maintain your vision and integrity … without losing your shit when it gets challenged by others (or even yourself).

I’ll share the inspirational story of a client who, after learning to lean into the cycle of disappointment and realignment, finally achieved his goal of buying the perfect property for his retreat center. Plus, we’ll dig into a tool called the “Sunday Summit.” It’s been a game changer for hundreds of our Uplevel students over the years, and I bet it will help you, too. 

As we close out 2020 with a pandemic that doesn't appear to be ending anytime soon, it’s a good time to look at how we’re serving our clients and make sure the systems we whipped up to work with people remotely are actually getting the best possible results. 

In a prior episode, I introduced the idea of batching time each week for business development, where you step away from the day-to-day workings of your business to do the things that have the potential to grow your empire. 

Today, we’re going to dig into the importance of taking time for the creative/strategic side of your business (as opposed to tasks like client calls and last minute emails), and I’ll share a story of how business development days helped a client move from trading hours for dollars to selling a package that took her to over $100K a year. 

I’m going to walk you through the 3 key areas of growing and scaling a service-based business, and I’ll explain exactly what you should - and should not - do on your business development day. Plus, I’ll share a fun exercise to help you understand the value you provide, and make sure your offer is designed to give people the results they expect. 

Listen in and find out how to plan your own business development strategy to close the year out strong and prepared for the year ahead.

There’s a tendency among us Soul-Sourced™ types to hope our ideal clients will simply manifest instead of us proactively connecting with people we’re meant to serve. 

Part of it is our reluctance to switch from our receptive, creative phase into something that feels pushy and forced, but if we dig a little deeper we find a lot of common fears around value, worth, and price tags.

Listen in this week to hear the 3 key components I’ve learned about launches through my years of experience. You’ll hear about the difference between soliciting transactions and creating campaigns, and I’ll teach you how to launch a campaign that keeps your business moving in the direction you want it to.

We’ll get into ways you can navigate between the modes of creation (building products) and conviction (believing your products are worth their price tag). Plus, I’ll give you my #1 tip for getting over any conviction hurdle. 

Check it out and discover the potential your launch campaign has for connecting and fostering a lasting relationship with your ideal clients even before they buy. It’s high time you feel as aligned with your marketing as you are with your mission.

When we ask someone to make decisions for us, we render ourselves powerless and not so subtly shift any responsibility or blame from ourselves to whoever told us to do the thing that did or didn’t work out. It’s our way of avoiding discomfort and alleviates our need to know the answer ourselves.

Thing is, the uncomfortable phase of making any decision is vital for internal growth. That’s how you build confidence to take ownership of your business and your life. So, let’s figure out how to stop relying on others’ opinions of what you should do and start leaning into your internal knowing and authority as a Soul-Sourced™ entrepreneur.

In this episode, you’ll hear a conversation I had with my friend Kathy when I belittled my work as a musician and a business coach in comparison to her noble career as a defense attorney, and what she helped me understand about the power of our natural strengths and unique abilities. 

I’ll also share the story of when I was called the worst salesperson ever. I’ll dig into where this person’s cutting comment came from and how accusing me of not working hard enough to get her business ended up helping her make her own choice.

Listen in to learn how to separate others' opinions from your intuition and confidently make decisions that are best for you.

Anger happens. Especially when you’re a business owner. So, what do you do when you’re caught off guard with someone’s anger? Let’s look at some techniques you can use to kick your emotions out of the driver’s seat. 

The thing is, one highly charged situation can resurface every time someone has been angry at you. These uncomfortable moments are an opportunity to dig in and grow out of old unconscious stuff that has been in charge for far too long.

I’ll highlight the difference between fostering real resolution and what author and Buddhist teacher Tara Brach calls “impression management,” which is that impulse to respond to anger by defending your status as a well-meaning “good guy” rather than addressing the situation at hand. 

Let’s not forget those pesky knee jerk reactions to anger that blind us to our best actions. To keep panic in its place, I’ll share a practice so you can proceed with clarity and confidence in your response. 

To bring these tools to light, I share a personal story. (Maybe even too personal?)

Listen in and find out how to break the patterns you use to avoid discomfort and discover a calm, composed path to real resolution.

As a first-time author on the verge of launching a book around my Soul-Sourced™ philosophy and mission, these are the stories of what I learned through the book writing process, from my first idea to final publication.

You’re going to hear the #1 book writing law you can’t escape plus, I’ll discuss the top book writing rules you’re likely already following … then tell you why I think you should totally consider breaking them.

My goal is to help you hone your own style and claim your freedom to approach the deep and often challenging endeavor of writing a book in a way that’s aligned with you. Because just like everything else you do, this experience is teaching you something that goes far beyond just writing a book.

Don’t worry, my action-minded friends, we’re also going to talk about the wide variety of ways you can get the writing part done, and I’ll share some of the choices I made and strategies I used in my process.

Listen in for my confessions around what worked and didn’t work for me. I’ll also share stories from my clients, talk about the lessons they learned, plus you’ll hear what one client said to spark my book writing journey in the first place. Maybe it’ll spark you, too.

This week, we’re digging into the difference between going for what you truly want versus settling for what you think you can get. 

I share a story about coaching a client through a "playing small" moment when she needed to raise her COVID-panic prices for someone who wanted to sign on for another term, and how I helped her lean in and learn from the fears that stood in the way of her owning her value.

We’ll talk about ways you can get your business to move forward even when you have no idea what lies ahead. I’ll also delve into why entrepreneurs choose to play small, and give you some keys to opening up to what’s possible for you. 

Clarity and focus are vital for growth, discover how being self-aware and actively recognizing your limiting beliefs is just as important as the strategy track of your business. Your business is territory for your soul’s expansion. Listen in for simple ways to open up possibilities awaiting you.

Mastery is not a destination, it’s an evolution. The way you become great at something is learning through your mini failures (and sometimes big ones). 

Once you achieve your goal, whatever it is, you’ll realize it wasn’t so much about getting the goodies at the end of the rainbow, but about becoming the person you evolved into along the way.

Listen in to hear the story of my first music gig and how taking that job - even though I wasn’t ready for it - turned into a full year of paid performances, and set me on a path of learning to be a successful, self-managed musician. Plus, I’ll share 4 symptoms you can spot when it’s time for you to just start, even if you don’t feel ready… in business or life.

We’ll get into how perfectionism keeps us from starting that very scary thing, and I’ll give you 4 strategies to help you take those first bold steps … spoiler: it’s kinda like tricking your ego into doing the thing it believes you’re not good enough to do.

I’ll tell you how I personally broke free from the need to prove myself to my ego, or anyone else for that matter!

This episode is kind of like part two of The Breakdown before the Breakthrough from last week. Because after the transformation takes hold our ego tells us we’ve reinvented ourselves. But…. the general concept of reinvention is kind of a lie …  in that our perception of reinvention comes from stories that are told with hindsight after the transformation has taken hold.

Once you’ve gotten through all the doubts, fears, and meltdowns that come with the transformation, it’s easy to look back and see all the clues, all the monumental tiny moments that led to your new, successfully reinvented self. But when you’re in it, it looks a lot more like sh*t hitting the fan.

So I’m sharing my story of how I walked away from my career – and identity – as a musician and started an online coaching company that ultimately became a multimillion-dollar business. I’ll talk about the truth of what it’s like to be in the breakdown before the breakthrough, and I’ll share a key decision I made when I left music behind.

Find out the 2 huge resistances we deal with in the early stages of a breakdown, plus I’ll give you 3 insights for when you find yourself in the beginning phase of knowing something’s going to change. 

Listen in to find out how to trust and move forward, even (especially!) when you’re not sure where you’re headed. I’ll teach you how to hold on to uncertainty so you can allow your growth to evolve, and how to let go of the urge to control the outcome.

Sometimes when we have these "breakdowns" in our Soul-Sourced™ business, it's because something much bigger is happening, and you never know how it’s going to play out or what it will bring. Often, what’s going on is a deep calling to shift focus and direction toward a breakthrough, perhaps one you don't even see yet. 

In this episode, I reframe what a "breakdown" is and explain why I think they're highly underrated. You’ll also hear several stories about mindset, including how I learned to stop forcing an outcome when I was an aspiring songwriter, and how I taught a client to stop aiming to make $1M and instead aspire to become a 7-figure business owner.

Learn the 3 worst things you can do to make your breakdown harder than it already is. And, get 3 action steps to help you receive your experiences — good and bad — as they come, and open yourself to the insights they bring with them.

I know things are tough for a lot of us right now. Let’s figure out how to stop fighting the “breakdown”, and lean into the lessons it’s meant to teach. Plus, as a bonus, I’ll give you a sneak peek at what’s coming in future episodes of the Soul-Sourced™ Podcast. Hope you enjoy!

Entrepreneurs are vision people and often don’t enjoy getting bogged down in tedious details, I’m preaching to the choir here right? BUT… if you really want to set yourself up for success, you have to start treating your business like a business. 

Whether you're just getting started or your existing business needs a big ol’ reset, today’s episode may deliver a few wake up calls. And I promise each awareness will guide you toward your “Empire Mentality,” which is key to creating a supportive framework for the important work you do.

We're going to take an honest look at the ways you might not operate from the level of business ownership and dig into the beliefs behind your actions, or non-actions, that keep you from claiming extreme ownership over your enterprise.

I’ll offer you 7 simple action steps to stop treating yourself like a hobbyist in your business and tips to start honoring yourself as head of a growing empire (or mini-empire if that feels better to you.)  Plus, I’ll share some stories of my own growth from being an aspiring musician to becoming the successful CEO of Uplevel. 

Let’s honor you today and that badass Soul-Sourced™ entrepreneur you know you are!

This week, I’m sharing a chapter from my soon-to-be-released book, “The Soul-Sourced™ Entrepreneur.” And what’s becoming more and more clear to me as we progress through these turbulent times is this book shows you how to dig deeper within yourself  to gain a level of wisdom beyond anything the world, and its shoulds, has to offer you.

“The Play Big Zone” is the chapter I’ve chosen to share with you in this episode, where I recount one of the first masterminds I led and how much I learned when everything went south... the first day. You’ll hear how I navigated from panic to inspired from within.

My intention is, as you listen, you’ll begin to hear the ever so subtle differences between being committed and being convinced and how to use the power of commitment to act on your decisions, despite external no’s and internal doubts.

It’s when we can move up and out of our own gravity and spot our own stuff, that we can fully jump into becoming who we’re destined to be. Dreams require decisions, and decisions require commitment.

When a client comes to me and says ‘I’ve lost the passion in my business’ they often immediately follow that with the new idea they’re ready to start tomorrow.

And that’s when I, ever so delicately, introduce them to the idea of changing the how, not the what. 

If you’re at that place where you’re ready to throw in the towel, it’s likely your mindset, happiness, and excitement have been slowly whittling away. Of course, I don’t want to make you feel like you have to stay stuck, but before you ditch your current business, let’s explore what might be the real issue.

In this episode, I’ll outline 3 places to start changing the HOW in your strategy track, which is the tactics and marketing, sales stuff of your business. Then I’ll give you 3 places to start changing the HOW in your soul track, where all the softer, internal stuff functions, which is something we tend to forget is just as important—and impactful—when you’re running a Soul-Sourced™ Business. 

Listen in to remember what’s deep and true about what you do and see if we can ignite that lost spark again.

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If you liked this episode enough to give the show a five-star review, please click those stars and leave a written review.

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Featured in this Episode:

• Read Profit First, by Mike Michalowicz
• Pre-Order The Soul-SourcedTM Entrepreneur on Amazon
• Song: Now that I Know, from the Right Outta Nowhere album

In part one of this series, I shared 3 key questions to ask when you’re having a boundary issue, and I gave you action steps to help you clear your emotions and operate from a place of integrity when addressing a colleague, client or contractor who seems to have crossed a boundary.

Of course, just knowing those steps doesn’t guarantee your conversations about boundaries will be easy, but putting them into practice makes it easier to trust yourself when you share your clarity with others. And as with all things in a Soul-SourcedTM business, the place to turn for that clarity is within. 

This week, we’re doing some self-reflection to find where you stopped being clear, when you settled for less than you needed or deserved, and what you tolerated when you didn’t want to. 

I’ll guide you through the patterns behind all those times you said “yes” when you meant “no”, and we’ll take a look at when you’ve trained people around you to not honor your clarity. 

Spoiler: it all comes back to your ability to clearly express your needs. So I’m also digging into the five core beliefs we all have that make us avoid being clear and seemingly force us to break our own boundaries. 

Note: If you missed part 1 of the series, I’d suggest you check it out first because it’s a good introduction to what we cover in this episode. But, you know, if you only downloaded this one and aren’t currently on wifi, that’s cool … just give part 1 a listen when you get a chance.

Boundaries are a big topic for Soul-SourcedTM entrepreneurs … whether they’re being broken by clients, questioned by your team, or even when you’re the one breaking a clear boundary you set up yourself.

And to be clear, boundaries aren’t necessarily a “none shall pass” impenetrable barrier. They’re often just simple needs and standards you have. The ways you work most effectively. The kinds of clients you’re meant to serve. The types of team members you groove with. 

Essentially, boundaries are the standards you set based on what works best for you and your business. To help paint this picture, you’re going to hear what I learned when a musician I admired held firm boundaries with me backstage at a show. 

Navigating these situations can feel tricky, so let’s talk about how you can clear your emotions and operate from a place of integrity. Listen in to learn the three questions to ask yourself when you’re experiencing a boundary issue - including how to see it as an opportunity to expand. Then I’ll walk you through four simple action steps to take BEFORE you address your concerns with someone else. 

Be sure to check back next week for part two where I’ll cover five key areas we often find crossed boundaries, and the unconscious core beliefs that cause us to break them.

I’m doing something totally different in this episode. I got a couple of inspirations that made me want to switch things up. Yup, call me a Quick Start. 

I recently did a coaching Q&A call, and many of the questions received from podcast listeners, such as yourself, had a similar theme: Am I sabotaging my business being the way I am?

So today I have the perfect antidote for the feeling of “I'm doing something wrong,” by sharing the intro of my new book The Soul-SourcedTM Entrepreneur, which is all about the inner game of having a business.

It’s a story I called “On Being Cut Out for Business” from the early days in my music career. It’s a behind-the-scenes story proving that you don’t have to be the way all the strategists and gurus tell you to be in order to be successful.

You’ll also hear why I require my clients to check a box that says, “I’M IN.” (HINT: It’s an acronym for: Initiating intention, Managing power, Interpreting experiences, and Navigating decisions. 

Discover why the business world is one you’re cut out for, my friend, and more importantly, one that’s cut out for you.

Confession: I am always scared to put myself out there. I am never not nervous to step on a stage. I’m always jittery when I hit send, publish, post, record... you name it. Always.

I’m not supposed to admit that. (Whoops.) In fact, if you and I follow all the success gurus? We’re supposed to crush fear, kill fear, and smash fear. Or better yet, act like we don’t have any!

Well here’s the deal. You can clear the fear and move forward!

So in today’s episode, I’m amping. that. shit. up. We’re gonna deep dive into this crazy fear that stops WAY too many people in their tracks.  

First, we’ll talk about the phases and scenarios when it likes to rear its ugly head. Then I’ll break down the untruths about this particular niggly fear. And last I’m going to share how I teach my clients to move through it so it loses its tight grip.

We've all heard from the old school business drowns that creating a business plan is the first thing you must do as a business owner. This mentality doesn't take what I call the Soul Track of business into consideration. 

This includes the mindsets that, very naturally, get us stuck in place and unable to move forward or even make a decision.

Now there is nothing wrong with business plans, yet for example what a solo-business owner needs when they begin is to get clients and put some other things to the side, until they're ready for those elements - and that's the tricky part.

That's where the five phases of the entrepreneur come in. They help you identify not only the right strategies for where you're at, but there will be a huge weight lifted from your shoulders as you let go of all the shoulds you've been carrying around.

These phases determine your needs, highlight the obstacles, and the mindset blocks that prevent you from making money and getting to the next level. 

Phases aren't steps, and they're not defined by revenue! Listen in and feel the liberation when you finally find your entrepreneur phase.

What you hear in today’s episode isn’t a guide to being a great coach, or something you might read in countless eBooks found all over the Internet. These are six core components that I’ve developed while working with clients.

Coaching is unique to each individual. Even when two business owners are in the same field, their coaching will be vastly different as they’ve faced different challenges and overcome them in their own way.

And honestly, that’s the beauty here. You serve as a source of personalized information and guidance. It isn’t about telling people what to do. It’s about being a place of support as you help others navigate obstacles you’ve previously conquered. 

As you listen to the 6 P's of coaching, check-in with yourself, and see which principles you connect with. Cheers to coaching clients!

When was the last time someone put you on the spot? Maybe a dear friend asked you for a discount. Maybe your sister volunteered your time and ignored the fact that you just started a business. 

These scenarios can feel defeating and frustrating, and sometimes stop us in our tracks. Those lovely Gremlins pop up in our heads and in an instant our attention is diverted into a blackhole of self-doubt.

That’s exactly why I created something for myself - five steps in fact - so when on-the-spot questions came up, I could respond clearly and confidently.

I share the experience from a recent client as an example of how an awkward discount request was turned into a confident response. 

You’ll never get stuck wishing you knew what to say with these strategies in your hip pocket. Cheers!

Here’s the thing, we’ve always been navigating uncertainty - it’s just that now there is less illusion about the ideal of certainty and control.  And - no matter what happens in our world, if you own a business, it’s a good idea to revisit your intention - especially when things go off course.  

Let’s acknowledge together this may be tender territory, and agree to forge ahead as soul-sourced entrepreneurs despite the disorder happening around us.

I sprinkled in a few stories, to keep you grounded as we go through the four steps of an intention reset; revisit, reframe, realign - and reset.

I’m going to touch on ego… briefly… just so we don’t get stuck.

I’ll wrap up this episode with four intention traps. These pesky thangs will subtly interfere with your energy and enthusiasm - and most importantly, your integrity.

Enjoy your Intention Reset. This is a time for yourself, to accept, release, and move forward without baggage. Thanks for being here today.

First things first, the size of your business does not matter here… stepping outside your comfort zone is always where the next big thing happens.

Ask yourself, what stops you when you reach the edge of your comfort zone?

Perhaps it’s meaningless distractions. Or you're trapped in the why of being stuck. Or perhaps it's the size and scope of the mountain you’ve created in your mind.

My friend, we’re not facing dark forces here. We’ve simply become master distractions in order to remain in our comfort zone - I mean, it's comfy cozy there, right?

In this episode, I’m going to share about retraining your brain. I’m not going to insist you must be passionate about every task involved in reaching your big goal… nope, let’s don’t get sucked into that wormhole. 

Cuz I won’t lie to you, that first shitty draft of the email you’ve been dragging your feet on isn’t going to be full of passion as you put pen to paper… you just need to start!

Together let’s explore how you’re using your energy each day and how the Universe really wants to support your priorities. The hashtag my clients created years ago says it all: #doitscared. The results will astound you.

Featured in this Episode

• Books:
  • Pre-Order The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur on Amazon
  • The War of Art by Steven Pressfield 
  • Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
  • Dial Down the Drama by Colleen O’Grady
• Overjoyed, from the Right Outta Nowhere Album

This money mindset approach may not be what you’ve typically heard… I won’t be pushing you to think positive thoughts, to have a positive mindset, or to play big or home.

Here’s the thing… the minute you become a business owner, looking at your mindset around money is the opportunity that’s handed to you. Surprise!

So let me ask you, how do you think about money?

Now I know money can be a trigger-y topic, so in this episode, I’ll take it one step at a time. And I have few stories to share, so you have some real-life context.

As with most growth opportunities, this is something you get to choose, and in the oft-quoted words of Yoda, “Choose wisely you must.”  

Whether or not there’s an economic shit-show happening -read, COVID 19- you have the chance to examine your relationship with money and the value you place around your services. 

This isn’t about judging or fixing anything. These methods, that I’ve personally used for years and now my clients have as well, will create shifts and release burdens so you can happily grow your business.

Featured in this Episode

• Pre-Order The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur on Amazon
• Everything Green, from the Rain and Mud and Wild and Green Album