Last week both in our email and on The Found Podcast, we dove into the concept of “resilience” and how the people we surround ourselves with can help us through the highs and lows that come with being small business owners and entrepreneurs.   Our discussion drew upon the Harvard Business Review article entitled “The Secret to Building Resilience” by Rob Cross, Karen Dillon, and Danna Greenberg.   In their article, the authors found that resilience has been shown to positively influence work satisfaction and engagement, as well as improve overall well-being, and lower depression levels.   But they are very clear that resilience isn’t just a kind of solitary internal “grit” that allows us to bounce back. Their research shows that resilience is also heavily enabled by strong relationships and networks.   Using that as our model for resilience, I can apply it to many interactions in my personal and professional life.    I can apply it to various seasons in my personal life and my business at Molly Knuth Media, but I also think we can apply it to our business marketing, because Lord knows we need to bounce back from setbacks often when our marketing plans go awry.   So in today’s episode of the podcast, I ask the question: “How can we stay resilient in our marketing?”   Molly's thoughts on resilient marketing: People do business with people. You choose the marketing trends, don't let the trends choose you. Tell stories in your marketing content, assets, and channels. Focus on long-term impact, not short-term wins. In today's episode (Number 182 now streaming on iTunes and Spotify), I go into detail about how you can use these resilient marketing methods for your own business in Q4 of 2024 and beyond. More Helpful Links Link to full article: https://hbr.org/2021/01/the-secret-to-building-resilience Submit your Q&A here: https://bit.ly/thefoundpodcastquestions Book a discovery call here: https://bit.ly/30minuteswithmkm

I’ve been in business for 8 years here at Molly Knuth Media and had this podcast for over 4 of those years, and let me be the first to tell you: it has not always been easy.   There have been successes and struggles. High points and lows. People who’ve been on my team that are no longer with me. Contracts I’ve had to cancel with clients. Contracts clients have cancelled with me. Programs I’ve started and ended. Groups I’ve joined and quit.   Being in business this long means I’ve seen some things…and I also know enough to know that I do not and will not ever know it all.   I can just do my best to stay open and stay resilient in the face of it all.   I recently read an article from the Harvard Business Review entitled “The Secret to Building Resilience” by Rob Cross, Karen Dillon, and Danna Greenberg   Resilience is typically described in our society as the ability to bounce back from setbacks, and this ability to stay resilient is often described as the difference between “successful” and “unsuccessful” people. In their article, the authors found that resilience has been shown to positively influence work satisfaction and engagement, as well as improve overall well-being, and lower depression levels.    But they are very clear that resilience isn’t just a kind of solitary internal “grit” that allows us to bounce back. Their research shows that resilience is also heavily enabled by strong relationships and networks.    So what can we learn from this today? We can each nurture and build our resilience through cultivating a wide variety of interactions with people in our personal and professional lives. These interactions can help us to alter the magnitude of any challenge we face. Our relationships can also help crystalize the meaningful purpose in what we are doing or help us see a path forward to overcome a setback.   It is our relationships and connections that motivate us to keep going, even in our toughest times.    In this episode of the podcast we explore a little more of the article and apply its resilience exercise to our own businesses. Be prepared to get gritty as we analyze our own resilience and ask ourselves: “Are my relationships broad and deep enough to help support me when me and my business hit setbacks?”   Episode and article takeaways: Resilience is not an individual characteristic through nature/nurture -  but through connections and interactions. “Resilience is not something we need to find deep down inside ourselves: we can actually become more resilient in the process of connecting with others in our most challenging times.” “Collectively, the relationships we develop are a toolbox that we can turn to in our most difficult times, which we can rely upon to help us navigate day-to-day life challenges” Relationships and connections help us in the follow 8 areas shift or manage workloads make sense of people or politics in certain situations find confidence to push back and help self-advocate see a path forward release negative emotions laugh at ourselves and the situation remind us of purpose/meaning maintain perspective If you feel like your resilience needs a little boost, ask yourself: “are your relationships broad enough and deep enough?” In conclusion, we are not resilient because we have survived. We are resilient because we set ourselves up to connect with people that allow us to thrive. Different people in our lives serve to help us in different ways, that’s ok and allowable.   More from Molly Link to full article: https://hbr.org/2021/01/the-secret-to-building-resilience Submit your Q&A here: https://bit.ly/thefoundpodcastquestions Book a discovery call here: https://bit.ly/30minuteswithmkm

"And so that's what I think about with resilience too, like, it's not this innate ability, it's a nurtured capacity. And that's something that I talk about a lot, is that, you know, it's not a matter of willpower, it's a matter of wellness...we're all resilient. We just need to nurture that capacity." - Whitney Sullivan Resilience is defined as the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. As women, as business owners, as family members, as friends, as HUMANS, we have all had difficulties that we have had to recover from quickly. We've failed at tasks, missed deadlines, and had unexpected health issues pop up. We've dropped the ball, we've said the wrong thing, we've done the wrong thing, and we've had challenges put upon us by ourselves and others. It's not a matter of if we'll need to be resilient in times where things don't go as planned, but a matter of when and how we will be expected to be resilient. Resilience isn't easy, it isn't comfortable to cultivate, but it is important to become aware of so we can support ourselves and others through hardships. In today's mini-episode of The Found Podcast, we talk about cultivating resilience in regards to this moment in time in the United States, and how we will all need to practice resilience in the days and weeks ahead. My friend and upcoming podcast guest, Whitney Sullivan who is an expert on resilience, shares her perspective on resilience and how to support ourselves in the process.  

I’m not going to get long-winded here, friends. This is THE process I use with every new client here at MKM to ensure that all the marketing foundations are in place for every business I am in touch with: a marketing audit.   In today's episode, you'll hear the steps I take to make sure all my clients' marketing is consistent and driving potential clients and customers in the right direction.   We're auditing: 1. Your Social Media Footprint 2. Your Website 3. Your Physical Marketing   Don’t forget: Share this podcast, leave a review and help your business besties with their marketing too! Bonus: get my marketing audit checklist in a handy-dandy printable PDF here: https://mkm.myflodesk.com/auditchecklist   More from Molly: Get the checklist: https://mkm.myflodesk.com/auditchecklist Submit your Q&A here: https://bit.ly/thefoundpodcastquestions Book a discovery call here: https://bit.ly/30minuteswithmkm

Guys, this interview is so much fun.   Today I’m sitting down with a new friend, Madelyn Victoria a local marketing strategist in her small town in Alabama, to discuss all things marketing for local businesses. While we primarily focus on helping local businesses enhance their holiday marketing efforts this Q4 of 2024, Madelyn’s strategies and actionable tips are practices you can employ all year round to create visibility and sales for your business.   A few quick tips from Madelyn that you’ll hear us break down in detail in the podcast: “Marketing is all about knowing what your audience wants and giving that to them in the best way possible.” Double down on growing community and collaborating with other businesses to maximize your marketing and get in front of new clients and customers. Having limited-time products for the season is a great way to create a special feel for the holidays. For some businesses, like our friends in retail, this is part of your regular business strategy, but any business can tie in limited-time holiday opportunities.  “There’s a big lull [for retailers] in January and February, but what helps mitigate that is getting all peoples’ email addresses during the holiday time.” Focus your efforts, choose 3 places to show up and spend your energy and your time on only those. This helps you reduce the pressure of feeling like you need to show in all the places at all the times. Helpful links Get Madelyn’s Visibility Guide here Episode 108 of The Found Podcast: Holiday Marketing Strategy MailerLite Metricool Notion Canva Full Focus Planner HGTV Hometown Takeover Season 1 Downtown Dickins Christmas event Emily Henry Funny Story book Unreasonable Hospitality book More About Madelyn Madelyn Victoria helps small businesses create a marketing strategy to attract more clients and increase profit while making a local impact.   With seven years of experience in the digital marketing industry, Madelyn uses her knowledge and experiences to help her coaching clients take their businesses to the next level.      Connect with her at https://madelynvictoriaco.com/ or get her “3 Simple Strategies to Become More Visible, Get More Customers, and Increase Your Profit" guide at https://madelynvictoriaco.com/visibility

Quick, answer the following questions: when was the last time you made an actual post on your socials? when was the last time you shared a post that you cared about to your newsfeed? when was the last time you doom scrolled? when was the last time you saw anger and hatred in a meme or in someone’s comment section? when was the last time you felt happy after being on social media?   A couple of months ago I was in a conversation with my friend and client, Lindsy, and we were both talking about how draining it felt to participate in social media.   So I had a realization: if I want a better experience when I’m on social media, I have to take action and be part of the solution.   This means doing more creating, purging the accounts and people that drain me, being active and interactive, and practicing Social Leadership.   Let’s commit to listening to this episode and afterward, becoming social leaders, owning the power that we have over our algorithms and experiences online and using it for the good of us all.   Quick Tips for Improving Your Social Media Experience: You get more of what you click on. So stop clicking into click-baity, dumb shit. Unfollow. Accounts, people, trends, platforms. Follow: what brings you joy. Make something. Creating brings more joy than consuming.  Be a human. Engage, look for humanity, uplift, educate.  Implement time limits. Apps, bricks, lockboxes. Think critically.  Connect. with others IRL and with yourself. Ask: why do these little digital boxes have such a hold on me?   Next: practice social leadership: 30-day posting my favorite photos to make Facebook suck less initiative. Encourage others to join in.  Have productive conversations, and encourage connection offline.  Put your phones away when you’re in a gathering next time.  Critically ask yourself, how am I contributing to the dumpster fire I’m being served? This is especially important if you are using social to market your business. If you are annoyed/aggrieved and generally questioning your presence on socials, be sure your content you release on behalf of your business meets these standards too.  Give people something to care about, not something to scroll past. Support my friend Nicole’s Hurricane Helene recovery Amazon wish list. I met her through social media, and I’m using social media to connect her cause with more people who can help.    Connect with Molly: Submit your Q&A here and get your questions answered on an upcoming episode of the podcast: https://bit.ly/thefoundpodcastquestions Book a discovery call here to see how Molly can help your business thrive through intentional, strategic marketing: https://bit.ly/30minuteswithmkm

You are shit. Your ideas are shit. Nobody is going to buy the shit you are trying to sell....   ....sound familiar????   Starting and growing a business is as much a personal journey as it is a professional one.   If you are trying to found a business and have others find the products and services you offer, you will have to come face to face with some hard truths about yourself and that little voice inside your head.   And the worst part of it all...no one is going to do this work for you.   You need to lead yourself through this process.   It's a shitty process, but in order to get the good shit, you need to come face to face with the shit you're carrying around.   I promise you can do it. And this episode will help you get started.   7 hard truths you need to face in order to lead yourself to your next level: “You are shit." Your ideas are shit.  You have some really awesome shit you’re a little scared to share with others. You have some shit to own. You have some shit to let go of.  You have some shit to organize. Your timing is shitty.  Connect with Molly Find me and all my business life/personal life shenanigans at, @mollyknuth_mkm, on Instagram and Facebook.    Follow Molly Knuth Media for all the marketing tips and trends at @mollyknuthmedia on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode’s intention: Make a brave choice to do the work and follow the framework to begin the process of re-finding yourself.   In 2018 my daughter, then five, went through a horrible medical event. It is impossible to summarize, but I attempt in this episode.   My community was amazing and rallied around my family during that time. But the hardest part of returning home was running in to well-wishers who asked me how my daughter was doing. I would inevitably cry, which I hate doing, and I would be called so strong, which I hated hearing.    To me, strong is intentional work of showing up and gradually progressing. It is a choice. I didn’t choose this. But I was brave. I was terrified. But I kept a positive attitude, I kept it together, I talked to the doctors, I asked the questions.   That’s bravery. It’s looking a shitty situation in the eye and walking straight into it. When you keep making these brave choices a little at a time, the future you will eventually be a stronger version of yourself.   You don’t have to be strong (yet) to make a change. But you can be brave.   **NOTE: this episode originally aired in September 2023, so any programs or offers advertised in the episode may no longer be available. Resources The Power of Community with Charlotte Knuth podcast episode (aka  the long story) Be Brave pennant Tune in this week for the Re-Find series and get the downloadable guide here Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode’s intention: Be honest with yourself about something you’ve been actively avoiding.   In April of 2022 I made a huge investment in “the next big thing” that I was hoping meant a huge boon of cash for my business. Rather than investing in a bookkeeper… which I think I knew I needed… I covered by insecurities by investing in an opportunity to make MORE money because that would magically solve everything.   That didn’t work.   This episode is your reminder to just do the thing. Avoiding my problem didn’t do me any good and probably made it worse. My investment in hiring Sheila Hansen CPA has been amazing for my business. I’m so grateful to have her on board, but I’m bummed to think that I could be six more months ahead if I had listened to myself in the first place.   **NOTE: this episode originally aired in September 2023, so any programs or offers advertised in the episode may no longer be available. Resources Perspectives from a “Failing” Business Owner Podcast episode High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard Satoteur Assessment  “How to Stop Avoiding What Scares or Overwhelms You” article Tune in this week for the Re-Find series and get the downloadable guide here Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode’s intention: Become aware of the correlation between what you eat with your body cues, energy levels, and mental clarity.   I’m so annoyed that I have to share this episode. But I (unfortunately) have found a huge correlation between what I eat and how I feel. When I fall out of my positive health routines like drinking a lot of water and exercising regularly, I am tense and irritable.    By working with a nutrition coach over the past few years, I’ve learned which foods support and deplete me. I know I feel best when I am intentional and consistent with nutrition and exercise.    I really wish I could live on fair food year round, but I learned the hard way how much food really affects my mood. When I eat like shit, I feel like shit, and I treat other people… not so great.    **NOTE: this episode originally aired in September 2023, so any programs or offers advertised in the episode may no longer be available.   Resources Book: The Body Keeps the Score Sweat Inspire Sisterhood Macronutrients Guide Sweat Inspire Sisterhood freebie: What does 100 grams of Protein Look Like? Nutrition Statistics Article Tune in this week for the Re-Find series and get the downloadable guide here Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode’s intention: How can I spend intentional time outdoors to ground myself?   How can we forget the early days of the pandemic? I remember bursting into tears at the thought of leaving my house to pick up a drive-up pizza. So much was uncertain.   I was desperate for activities to keep kids off screens and occupy their brains and bodies. “Nature walks” became a favorite pastime. Nature was kind enough to bless us with a warm spring and we were outside on our property whenever we could be. We loved naming the “sites” on our property, watching the seasons slowly change, and just existing.   Now that life is relatively back to normal, with its activities and demands on our time, our nature walks are less frequent. But I know I feel best with some dirt under my nails. I’m so grateful for the medicine that nature provided in those scary pandemic times, and for reminding us that calm can be found in our own backyard.   **NOTE: this episode originally aired in September 2023, so any programs or offers advertised in the episode may no longer be available. Resources “Nurtured Nature” article Ocean Relaxation film River Sounds film Forest Relaxation film Landscapes Relaxation film Tune in this week for the Re-Find series and get the downloadable guide here Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode’s intention: Who am I surrounded by, and how can I be an influencer?   You’ve heard that you are the average of the five people with whom you spend the most time. Think about the energy and conversations you surround yourself with. Do you feel supported? Does this align with your future? Awesome!     If you feel off, consider how you can influence conversations and energy to be more positive. Take the time to assess your circle and see if it is providing the support you need. Maybe it’s time to adjust your average.   **NOTE: this episode originally aired in September 2023, so any programs or offers advertised in the episode may no longer be available. Resources “Choose Your Circle Wisely” article Tribes by Seth Godin Contagious Emotions article Tune in this week for the Re-Find series and get the downloadable guide here Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode’s intention: How can I grow my (physical and mental) muscles today?   When I reflect back on the times in my life when things seemed to be going really well- when I was really crushing it in other aspects of my life- I was weight training. I find that mind-body connection so fascinating. I know personally, and research supports, that strength training supports self-confidence, mood, and brainpower.    Making time for fitness hasn’t always been simple. In yesterday’s episode I shared how I started to value strength training. Sometimes I’m even stronger than I was then and sometimes prioritizing fitness is the furthest thing from my mind. But I know, and I challenge you to discover, that strength in workouts translates to strength in many aspects of life.   **NOTE: this episode originally aired in September 2023, so any programs or offers advertised in the episode may no longer be available. Resources Sweat Inspire Sisterhood Glutes + Arms workout Sweat Inspire Sisterhood Arm-Toning exercises Sweat Inspire Sisterhood Travel-Friendly workout Tune in this week for the Re-Find series and get the downloadable guide here. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode’s intention: How can I build confidence in myself in just 10 minutes?   Back in 2015 I was a 28-year-old stay-at-home mom of three kids in four years. I didn’t feel like I had the time or energy to spend on myself. That spring when a fitness studio opened up in my small town, a friend and I signed up for the daily 5:15 am fitness classes. I don’t know that I was particularly interested in fitness, but the invitation to get out of the house and spend time with friends was enough to get me hooked.   I took “before” pictures and continued them for the nine months I went to these classes. My body changed a bit, but the most important change I could see was in my confidence and smile. This habit showed me I was a dependable person capable of showing up and making a change.    After this episode, I challenge you to see what you can do with a 10-minute block of time each day for one week. It’s hard to carve hours out of your busy life, but those minutes build up. See what happens when you prove to yourself what consistency can do for you.   **NOTE: this episode originally aired in September 2023, so any programs or offers advertised in the episode may no longer be available. Resources Atomic Habits by James Clear “Enhancing Our Confidence” by Lindsay Leahy of The Restoration Project  20-Hour Rule article on LinkedIn Tune in this week for the Re-Find series and get the downloadable guide here Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode’s intention: What do I need to make me wake up in the morning and actually BE in a good mood?   I started what I now call my “unravelling” period in the summer of 2022. For too many times in the same week I found myself staring at the ceiling at 3 am with my mind racing with all of my to-dos. Giving up on sleep, I started my work day. How could this be my dream small business? Was this “balance” sustainable in the future?   In this episode I share how I freed up space to dream, create, and just enjoy life again. Dang it if I’m not proud of my Candy Crush streak and my ability to finally just enjoy something again. I’ve been waking up happy each morning (at a more appropriate time!) invigorated and alive.   **NOTE: this episode originally aired in September 2023, so any programs or offers advertised in the episode may no longer be available. Resources Screen time statistics of average Americans Check out the Happiness Lab Podcast with Dr. Laurie Santos Tune in this week for the Re-Find series and get the downloadable guide here. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

My challenge for you today, listener: how many giggles did you hear in the duration of the episode?   In today’s episode of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth, you’ll hear one of only a handful of in-personal interviews I’ve ever conducted for the podcast. The level of fun and depth and love in the room is palpable as I sit down with an inspirational woman in business, author, coach, speaker, MKM client, and most importantly, my friend, Lindsay Leahy.   Though she’s been on the podcast in the past with her bestie and business partner at The Restoration Project Brooke Fitzgerald in Episode 66 Living, Leading, and Working with Meaning, in today’s episode we talk about not just their business, but also the writing of her new book Take It All Apart. The Restoration Process At The Restoration Project, their team of leadership coaches walks their clients, whether individuals, teams, or entire organizations through their signature process of: Building Connection: to self, others, and something greater. Restoring Intention: explore and define identity, vision, intention, and meaning, then build a plan. Inspiring Action: establish new practices, systems, rituals, and routines. Writing a Book As someone who has always enjoyed writing, Lindsay says that she faced challenges she wasn’t expecting when writing her first book:  Practically and tactically it was hard to do the writing. Sharing lived experience was hard at times. “What if people think this sucks?” Due to her identity as a writer, Lindsay shares that it feels strange to put her words and writing style on display for the world. Regardless of the struggles it presented, Lindsay shares that writing Take It All Apart has resulted in her feeling more poised in her own practice, more refined in her process of coaching and writing. Connect with Lindsay Lindsay Leahy is a proud wife, daughter, auntie, and friend. She is passionate about Jesus, hugs, dreams, adventures, and deep conversation. She is the creator of the blog Grit, Gratitude, and Grace and the founder and Dream Builder at The Restoration Project, a women-owned coaching and consulting practice that provides experiences, programs, and services to improve organizational health, team and leadership effectiveness and individual well-being.   Lindsay is the author of Take it All Apart, debuting October 2024. Join her book Hype Crew for all the upcoming launch events and details or preorder your own copy here. 

Of course there are hard truths that make business ownership difficult and may complicate your life, but there are some other hard truths you must acknowledge too…   Today, I’m here to share 7 additional hard truths I’ve learned about running a business in the 7+ years I’ve owned and operated Molly Knuth Media. If you didn’t listen to part 1, then click here to check out last week’s episode.   Entrepreneurship and small business ownership is anything but easy, but I do believe that it is the way of the future. Because especially as women/moms/friends I think we need to know how our unique skills and talents can help us earn money and support our families.   I want you to hear in this episode the silver linings of the hard side of business that I wish someone had shared with me when I started my small biz journey in 2017.     7 (More) Hard Truths You Need to Hear About Business   1: You’ll never want to work a set schedule again.   2: You’ll never want to work for anyone else again.   3: You’ll test your courage.   4: You are your own biggest limitation.    5: You will evolve and change.    6: You will be an inspiration to others.    7:  You will be forced to celebrate yourself.   Connect with Molly Find me and all my business life/personal life shenanigans at, @mollyknuth_mkm, on Instagram and Facebook.    Follow Molly Knuth Media for all the marketing tips and trends at @mollyknuthmedia on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode is for a specific listener, friend.    It is specific to the female business owner out there who is wondering if working for herself is all that it’s cracked up to be.    It’s the woman who is thinking about taking the leap from being a classroom teacher to going full-time in her side-hustle.    It’s for the woman who is scared shitless right now because her dream isn’t working out just how she thought now that she’s 1 1/2 years into self-employment.    It’s for the woman who has been building this company for 7 years and now she’s wondering if there’s something else her heart is calling her to (cue Reba McIntire “Is There Life Out There?”).   It’s for the woman who is considering a leap of faith, and I want her to feel validated in her fears and also prepared for what will be expected of her in this next season of reaching.   Today, I’m here to share 7 hard truths I’ve learned about running a business in the 7+ years I’ve owned and operated Molly Knuth Media.    In today’s Instagrammable world of glamorizing the time freedom, financial opportunities, upward mobility that self-employment can bring, I want this episode to be a resource to talk about the less-than-glamorous side of working for yourself.    Because while it is incredibly worthwhile and the way of the future (I firmly believe it), entrepreneurship and small business ownership is anything but easy. And I don’t want you to feel like you are “behind” in life or that someone has the secret to being a woman/mom/friend/business owner all figured out in some secret handbook that you never received.   I want you to hear in this episode the hard side of business that I wish someone had shared with me, so I didn’t feel alone and ashamed at various points of my own small business journey.   10 Hard Truths You Need to Hear About Business You need to work Then, you need to work less You will fuck up You will lose people No one owes you their money or their business Not everyone is cut out for this It’s ok to quit Connect with Molly Find me and all my business life/personal life shenanigans at, @mollyknuth_mkm, on Instagram and Facebook.    Follow Molly Knuth Media for all the marketing tips and trends at @mollyknuthmedia on Facebook and Instagram.

It’s back to school, listener! Back to business school that is, as today we sit down with human resources coach and consultant and small business owner, Kristie McCarthy of Bridge Business Resources.   You will definitely want to have a pen and paper ready as you listen through this episode and hear Kristie’s advice on protecting yourself and your team members from common struggles and errors that can occur when employing a team.    With over 20 years of experience in HR, Kristie’s goal is to help you bridge the gaps that can happen in the people side of operating a small business. She understands that business owners can be exceptional in their craft and kick ass at making sales, marketing, etc. But when it comes to growing a team, we as business owners can have major blindspots in legal and tax requirements that come along with employment.   Even with the best of intentions, there are pitfalls employers face when managing a team, and Kristie’s mission at Bridge is to help you identify and proactively plan for the human side of your business.   In today’s episode, Kristie shares the 6 employer danger zones she commonly sees with her clients and how you can take action today to address these areas in your own business.   Danger Zones to Watch Out For Protected Classes of Employees Classifying Employees as Independent Contractors or Payroll Employees Payroll & Time Tracking Employee Safety & Reporting Terminating Employees Protecting Your Business   More About Kristie and her business, Bridge Business Resources Whether you are a small business owner, trying to do it all yourself, or a leader in a larger organization trying to prepare for the next step, it is difficult to do it all.  There are inevitably gaps...whether it is in communication, in what you can offer your employees, or in how prepared you are for the growth you hope to achieve.  Bridge Business Resources is here to fill those gaps, take work off your plate, and allow you to spend time focused on what you do best. Bridge helps you with consulting, coaching, and done for you services including payroll processing, human resources activities, and more. Visit the Bridge Business Resources website or connect with Bridge on Facebook and LinkedIn to see how Kristie can help you thrive. 

Well, we’re 170+ episodes and almost 4 years into this podcast journey, and this is the first time I’ve explicitly tackled this topic on the pod: growing and building a team as a small business owner.   In the past 7 years of operating my marketing business at Molly Knuth Media, I’ve had a variety of team structures. I was originally a solo freelancer, then I had one person who helped on a mix of tasks as I needed them. Eventually I had a team of 7 people working various hours and skills in their own wheelhouses, and now I’m back to having a very lean team structure.   What I’ve learned along the way is that there is no blueprint for growing a team.   Damn it. It would be so much easier if there was.    In today’s episode, we’re going to discuss the successes I’ve experienced in bringing others on board at my business Molly Knuth Media, the struggles I experienced in leading said team, and how you can know if you are ready to build a team in your own business. My Successes Tackling larger projects Seeing people grow in their skills and gifts Growing myself as a leader My Struggles Growing myself as a leader Making changes Knowing what’s right How do I know if I’m ready? Get clear with yourself Make sure your finances align Check out this episode of Profitable Women from my friend and accountant, Sheila Hansen for more on this. Get ready for friction Get more from Molly Knuth Media Reach out at [email protected] to discuss coaching and consulting options from Molly to help your service provider business growth and marketing in 2024.

Hello listener, and welcome back to another episode of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth.   …and her kids!   My name is Corinne Knuth   And in today’s episode we’re having a special conversation with Molly, Corinne, and the other three Knuth children. I thought it would be fun to be on mom’s podcast and it would be a nice way for Mom and her listeners to learn about what it’s like as a child of someone who owns a business.   Some of my favorite parts of our interview were when my little brother farted and when we all sat around and asked mom questions.   After you listen to this episode, try and play a game with your family and spend some family time together.   Key parts: Set rules up front about who gets to talk when What the kids been doing all summer "What is the best part about mom working at home?" "What's the hardest part about mom working from home?" "Would it be better for mom to have a regular job?" "What is mom's favorite part of being a work from home mom?" "Why did mom start this business instead of being a teacher?" "Why can't kids come in the office when mom is trying to work?" "What is the hardest part of working with clients and kids?" "My job is only as good as being able to deliver what my clients need." Helpful Links Episode 88: Motherly Advice Episode 81: The Power of Community with Charlotte Knuth Get more from Molly Knuth Media Reach out at [email protected] to discuss coaching and consulting options from Molly to help your service provider business growth and marketing in 2024.

We’ve made it.   The dog days of summer.    This time of year, we can have so many of these schedule interruptions or things that happen in life that pull us away from our businesses. Time compressed and condensed: we're outside more, we have more social gatherings, and life just happens at a quicker pace.   With our guest today, Miss Aly Robbins, we're reminded of those foundational pieces of our business that we can put in place, especially for service providers. These six foundational components ensure our business is solid and can run the way we want it to, in order to provide exceptional client and customer experience for the people we serve.   I love that her six-step process is a metaphor that is easy to picture and take action on. Just like doing what you can to make sure your plants can grow (whether you’re an indoor plant mama or you’re growing your gardens this summer), you need to provide essential elements for your business to grow: leadership - sunlight marketing - water sales - nutrients mindset - soil offer - seeds backend systems and processes - air temperature   Aly is engaging, insightful, resourceful, and I know you are going to connect with her and her message in today’s episode of The Found Podcast.   Key Takeaways: 8:26 - Aly’s multiple entrepreneurial ventures and what they’ve taught her to help her clients 13:18 - The importance of money mindset 18:56 - 6 essential components of growing a business 21:30 - leadership (sunlight) 28:07 - marketing (water) 32:29 - sales (nutrients) 35:59 - mindset (soil) 42:10 - offer (seeds) 43:53 - backend systems + processes (air temperature) More About Aly Robins Aly Robins is a serial entrepreneur who helps people like you grow their business and reach their first $50k through 1:1 business coaching and group coaching. Like Aly, her clients are stepping into a new level of confidence and becoming more profitable small business professionals.   Just a few years ago, Allie herself was struggling to land sales because she was brand new to the online world. She was full-time as a rangeland specialist and building her business on the side. But she was experiencing trials and tribulations trying to break through income levels that she knew were possible but were hard for her to attain.  After investing in her business by hiring a marketing coach and working with several business coaches over time, Allie learned so much about not just marketing, but about the foundational components of building a sustainable business using her signature six-step process.   Get more information on her process at alyrobins.com or follow her on Instagram at @alyrobins1.   Helpful Links Aly Robins Website Aly on Instagram Aly’s Podcast  Donald Miller Business Made Simple Donald Miller Building a Story Brand Carol Dweck Mindset Chris Harder Money Mindset Episode with Sheila Hansen Molly’s Money Mindset & Finance Journey Sheila Hansen’s Podcast Gina Knox’s Podcast

Starting or growing a service provider business in 2024? Then you will NOT want to miss this episode, my friend. In today's episode of The Found Podcast, I'm breaking down the phases of business evolution into three key parts: Baby businesses - aka: those new businesses that are somewhere from 0 to 1-2 years in, getting the lay of the land, experiencing all that life has to offer, high highs and low lows. Childhood businesses - aka: years 1-3 in business, really learning at a rapid rate and establishing yourself by the rules. Teen businesses - aka: years 3 to 6, where you're feeling like you want to make a name for yourself, where you want to test the limits and test the boundaries, you're considering reinvention and breaking out of norms. Bonus: Young adult business years - aka: years 6+, that I'm in the midst of myself!  For each of these phases of business, I'm going to point out three key components/actions I recommend to business owners in this phase. We're also going to talk about key marketing targets that I would focus on if I was in that phase of business so you can maximize your time, energy, and resources. I'll be telling stories and giving examples throughout from my own experience thus far with Molly Knuth Media, all the highs, lows, and in-betweens. I'm hoping that with your listening experience today, you'll be able to hear some of your own story, regardless of what phase of business you're in. And maybe you'll be able to take away some key moves you can make to facilitate your growth through that particular phase of business. Get your notebooks ready and grab a pen, because today's episode of The Found Podcast is full of actionable, tactical tips for you!   Timestamps: 4:59 Baby Business Foundations + Marketing Tips 22:19 Childhood Business Foundations + Marketing Tips 34:10 Teenage Business Foundations + Marketing Tips 40:26 Young Adult Business Steps   Get more from Molly Knuth Media Reach out at [email protected] to discuss coaching and consulting options from Molly to help your service provider business growth and marketing in 2024.

In this episode format called “Coaching Calls,” a small business owner/entrepreneur is given an opportunity to submit a question they would like me to answer about marketing, business growth, personal development, or anything that’s on their mind!   Today’s submission is from a fellow marketer in northeast Iowa, Alex Monaghan of MAK Marketing, who asked, “How do you keep up with the algorithm?”   This is a layered question, but it’s one I think we all need a reminder of as we promote our products and services, specifically on social media.   Key Takeaways: “The Meta algorithms, so Facebook and Instagram, and those are really driven by engagement. And engagement on those platforms looks like a hierarchy of interactions.” “A video engagement is considered a three-second view.” “What might my ideal audience be looking for? What are the words they're going to use? What are some of the phrases that they might search? And we want to make sure that we include those in our titles and in our captions to help those algorithms serve our content more.” “So I've learned over the years, there is…a very distinct difference between marketing for a product based business and marketing for a service based business.” “My perspective has always been to just give, and the right people will find me.”   Time Stamps:   3:27 Meet Alex 7:04 “What is an algorithm?” 7:47 Meta algorithms 10:09 TikTok algorithm 11:24 YouTube & Pinterest algorithms 13:25 Timing the algorithms 23:03 How much is too much information to share?   A little more about Alex and MAK Marketing Co MAK Marketing Co is a full-service marketing agency that helps rural, family-owned businesses bring their stories to life. MAK helps their clients anticipate market trends and consumer needs, ensuring that they are using marketing strategies that are relevant and effective in the long term.   From creating logos and branding, graphics, and print designs, to email marketing, social media marketing, and the strategy that unites it all, MAK helps their clients innovatively grow and connect agriculture businesses to their clients, one story at a time.   Connect with Alex and schedule a free consultation at https://www.makmarketingco.com/ or reach out to [email protected].   Be a Guest on a Future Coaching Call If you’d like to ask Molly your business or marketing question on a future episode of The Found Podcast, click the link below to enter your name and burning question: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchWWpkpdlzqnDJI0ocMcGgCXGkBk_8mIEFPKjLwkQ-W1oLYg/viewform

This one is for the ladies out there….myself included.   Over the past few years, I have been on a health journey.    In 2015, I found strength training and really loved how my brain and body responded to weight lifting (more on that in this episode from the Re-Find miniseries of the podcast). Then, in 2018, I dove into nutrition and started paying attention to macro rations, portion sizes, and caloric deficits with the help of my friend Coach Erika at Sweat Inspire Sisterhood (hear from her in one of the very first episodes of the podcast).    But in the years since, with the Covid of it all, different seasons of business, and stressful life circumstances, I’ve found myself at my heaviest weight ever and carrying a LOT of it in my midsection.   I’ve been pretty vulnerable sharing about this journey on my Instagram Stories, and thankfully through the magic of social media I was able to connect with Bri Edwards, owner and integrative nutrition health coach at Healthy Foundations Dubuque.   Through her proven Mind Body Nutrition Method, Bri guides women to their healthiest and most vibrant selves.    Because she believes you don't have to continue looking for the next right diet.   You don't have to continue looking for the next right fitness plan.   You don't need to push harder.    You don't need to have greater self control.    You just need to unlearn and relearn the truths about your body as a woman, nutrition and how you can utilize both to transform your life.   In this episode with Bri, you’ll learn simple steps to set you up for success each day, ways to manage your stress levels through the foods you’re eating, and how to listen to your body in order to understand what you need most.   This is an episode every woman needs to hear. Key Takeaways 4:53 Meet Bri 7:12 Bri’s Health Journey  8:47 What Women Were Told about Their Bodies 12:46 Phases of Women’s Cycles 20:44 Stress and its Impact on Women’s Bodies: 27:56 Stress and Weight Loss 31:10 Nutrition and Stress 35:40 Setting Yourself Up for Success Helpful Resources Book a Clarity Session with Bri Healthy Foundations Dubuque website Healthy Foundations YouTube Channel Flo Cycle Tracking App Do Less by Kate Northrup Episode 137 The Found Podcast with Guest Jada Dobesh

In this episode…chaos ensues. Wardrobe malfunctions, losing my train of thought, jumping from topic-to-topic, this episode and all that happens within is very fluid and unscripted: much like my business and motherhood journey. I’m not exaggerating when I saw that within the first five minutes of this episode, you’ll hear the most embarrassing mishap of my podcasting journey so far…and we’re over 160 episodes in!   As we open the month of June here at The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth, we are breaking down what I’ve learned in my 7+ years of business, and how my experience as a woman has largely affected the way I show up as a leader and entrepreneur.   Key Takeaways 10:05 The boobs of it all: minimizing myself, my talents, and my gifts and playing small, much like the pre-pubescent me who wanted to minimize certain “aspects” of myself. 20:40 The bullshit of it all: the structures we still ascribe to in 2024 that were put in place in the patriarchal 1940s and 1950s. From overtly misaligned gender norms to even subtle aspects of our work expectations, women have to handle a lot of extra bullshit as they are building their businesses. 34:20 The burnout of it all: ladies, we simply try to handle SO much. Trying to be strong all the time, trying to feel and look like we've got our shit together, and knowing that it doesn't feel as good on the inside as we sometimes see on the outside can come at a cost. Without properly practicing self-awareness and putting supports in place, we can teeter into the land of burnout when we try to tackle too much on our personal and professional journeys. 14:27 “A lot of what I've been learning in recent years about the choices we make as adults is rooted and grounded in some of the experiences and thoughts that we had as children.” 18:18 “I knew for sure that the people that I saw running businesses or thought of as these, like, great business minds, whether locally or  on the internet, they didn't look like me. They didn't look like a mom who was in her sweatpants and a hat. in her office with three kids coloring on the floor behind her.” 20:40 “What I'm talking about here is the natural way that our bodies work, the hormones and how women operate on a monthly cycle. I'm talking about how we have emotions and feelings and those should not be separate from business. Business is personal.” Helpful Resources Episode 137: “Wholly Herself with Jada Dobesh” Our guest next week, Bri Edwards, teaches women all about hormone health and nutrition Episode 7: “What I Learned from Being a Waitress”

This is one of my favorite things to do ever: take YOUR burning questions and answer them live.    Just last month in April of 2024, I had the privilege of speaking to a group of approximately 150 people at the Young Professionals Association of Dubuque, Iowa. They had me in to talk about marketing and how to get seen by more people, particularly through your digital marketing strategies.   When I went to  this function, I love to share what I know and came prepared with slides, supportive resources, and a 45-minute planned speech. But, as with many programs I’ve been to before, I felt like the biggest takeaways came from the Q&A portion of the event. When we have an opportunity to ask burning questions from the audience in order to get the perspective of the speaker, it engages the participants and allows for real-time learning and application.   This episode is the result of all those fantastic questions the YP attendees submitted.   Read below for a preview of some of the topics we cover (and my answers) and a few helpful links for more information!   2:37 Question 1: Where did you get your blazer? Answer 1: Old Navy   3:27 Question 2: How do you encourage a client to utilize all parts of the flywheel in their marketing when a decent amount of local businesses have small budgets? Answer 2: So this is a fantastic question. If you want to know what the heck is a flywheel, go over to my episode from the beginning of May, the very first episode, episode 162. That one's going to be all about the marketing flywheel, and how I encourage my audience or sorry, how I encourage my clients to develop a more holistic marketing strategy.   Short story: I would remind you that good marketing doesn't mean you have to pay more for it.  It just means that you are doing things in a way that your audience recognizes and appreciates, and you are meeting them where they are.   For example, in the attraction phase of your marketing, I really do recommend that you're doing things in your strategy that are getting new eyeballs on you. This could mean collaborations. For example, I bring guests onto my podcast. It doesn't cost them any money to come be a guest with me, but it's opening them up to a whole new audience.  If they go and do two podcast guest spots a month, then they're open to two new audiences each month. They're attracting a lot more people in.   It's not costing them money. It's just costing them time. And that's helping them really get clear on where their time and energy and efforts are spent for that attraction phase of their marketing.    12:21 Question 3: Have you ever worked on a hiring campaign for a client? And if you have, what was successful and what was not so successful?   24:19 Question 4: Should a business still be using Twitter/X?   27:27 Question 5: What are your thoughts on Pinterest? Tap here to listen to a recent episode on this very topic!   34:31 Question 6: Besides social media, where else should you market in person events?   40:58 Question 7: Platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn have become flooded with entrepreneurs and businesses competing for the attention of their audience. They've essentially become red oceans (tap here for more info on the blue ocean vs. red ocean analogy). Has the shift away from traditional marketing actually created a large opportunity for some savvy people to leverage it? Helpful Links: Watch this on YouTube Episode 161 Coaching Call: “Should I add Pinterest to my business’ marketing?” Episode 162: 3 Things I Wish Small Business Owners Knew About Their Marketing Be a Guest on a Future Coaching Call   If you’d like to ask Molly your business or marketing question on a future episode of The Found Podcast, click the link below to enter your name and burning question: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchWWpkpdlzqnDJI0ocMcGgCXGkBk_8mIEFPKjLwkQ-W1oLYg/viewform

Much like Chik-Fil-A, this week’s episode was a pleasure! Sincerely.   Today on the podcast, we welcome not one, but two guests: Jan + Erin Johnson of Trailblazher Co. They're a mother daughter duo of multi-passionate women who have developed the grit, resilience, and gutsiness that comes from the ups and downs of being entrepreneurs over the past 24 years in business - together!   As you’ll hear them share in today’s episode, Jan + Erin’s skillsets complement one another so well, and together they love to create and bring new ideas to life. While they love working alongside one another, their true joy comes from sharing stories of rural women across North America.   Through their work at Trailblazher Co, they not only publish a gorgeous quarterly magazine, host a weekly podcast and connect rural women, but they're inspiring women along the way.  As you'll hear in today's episode, we cover a lot of ground, but the common thread is all about telling our stories as women. And how the peaks, the pits and everything in between can help the next generation of women who want to live rural and who want to grow rural businesses.    This conversation is incredible, and I think you, like me will laugh, tear up, and feel so much joy and gratitude from the lessons Jan + Erin teach us in today’s episode of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth.    Key Takeaways “We are storytellers” “We use the word trailblazher because [the women we feature] have that grit and resilience and risk taking and bravery, and we're astounded, honestly, every week with the women that we talked to and what they're creating in their life and all the things that they have going on. And despite all of that, they're so determined to bring their biggest dreams to life.” “It hasn't been a linear path. It's been messy at times. It's been on our knees like, Oh my gosh, what are we going to do next? But that thread that connects us is this purpose.  and drive to make an impact in women's lives. And where does that come from? I'm not really sure. Maybe it is to grow ourselves into the biggest and best version of who we are.” “No path is linear. No, it just, it just isn't. And that's what makes for great stories, right?” “You have to go through some personal growth, some,  sometimes some dark valleys, sometimes you're at the height of the mountaintop, but it's in that, that you find yourself, you get even more grounded into your purpose. And then you've got these great stories to share with others.” “How many other women have wares or goods like fresh produce that they want to sell and they need help with getting it out there? And so we actually started with, it was called at the time, The Rural Collective, and it was a directory to help rural women list their businesses so that we could find each other and have women in the cities find them rurally.” “Stretch out. Reach out to people who are ahead of you, who could mentor you, help you, advise you, consult with you.” “Every story of every person who you know, they have these same stories of times they tried things. They were gutsy, and they took a chance and they made it took a risk…maybe didn't work, but it gave them the knowledge to try something else or to pivot just slightly into the thing that made it work.” “Inspiration is at the root of creativity, inspiration, joy.”     More about Jan & Erin   Jan is the connector on the Trailblazher Co team. Her jam is content writing and ideas. Whether writing feature stories for Trailblazher magazine, web content or upcoming course materials, Jan is gifted with a pen! She is naturally skilled at connecting ideas in ways that influence the direction of the company. Jan is also a gifted people person and insightful communicator striving always to acknowledge and draw out the unique and highlight what makes people special (shaped by her 30 years as a lifeskills coach). Jan is fueled by exploring what is possible and bridging ideas into tangible, relevant offerings that set the business apart in this ever-changing economy.   Erin is the innovator on the team. Her passion lies in digital and print design and marketing. And showing the behind-the-scenes on social. She can be found spending most of her time at the keyboard creating a new company website, designing the next issue of Trailblazher magazine or brand graphics for Trailblazher Co. Erin brings the synergy to the team with her team spirit and ambitious goal markers for the next growth stage of the company. Apart from her role in the company, she juggles being a work-from-home mom, and caring for 80+ chickens and ducks, some days she manages better than others. Erin thrives on possibility, on pushing the envelope and creating something that’s never been done before.    Together, with their tools and programs at Trailblazher Co, they want to help women explore the parts of themselves that are gutsy and resilient… the parts of that have been shaped by life experiences... the parts of that help women to live their life on purpose. If you want to take their quiz to find out what kind of Trailblazher you are, take their quiz here.    Resource The Website: https://trailblazherco.com/ Rural Directory and Content Submission Form: https://trailblazherco.com/rural-women The Trailblazher Podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trailblazher-podcast/id1708329540 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6poMDcdSDSM37ORka4CiMi The Trailblazher Co Magazine: https://shop.trailblazherco.com/

This might be the most actionable, helpful episode of The Found Podcast I’ve ever released. Not kidding.   In today’s episode, we dive in to the three things I wish all small business owners knew about marketing in order to get people to take action. And I don’t tell you to adopt any short-term trends or spend a bajillion dollars to do it.    Nope, we focus on three key components: People do business with people You choose the trends, don’t let the trends choose you Everyone has a story to tell   In each of these components we drill down further to help you create a marketing strategy that fits you, your audience, and your business, and we use examples to help you take action just in time for summer.    This episode also comes with plenty of resources, so be sure to tap the links below to access my 100 Story Starters downloadable tool and the slide deck that accompanies this information.   And if you want the help of a strategic marketing expert to walk through this process on behalf of your business, reach out at [email protected] to discuss a 1:1 Strategy Session to give you a clear plan for your 2024 marketing.   Timestamps   2:27: 3 takeaways I want you to have from the episode 3:25 Meet the host, Molly Knuth 8:45 How my eyes opened to social media marketing as a teacher 11:55 People do business with people 14:15 How to approach your marketing in the summer months 16:59 Attract - the first phase of the marketing flywheel 19:13 Nurture - the second phase of the marketing flywheel 21:25 Serve - the third phase of the marketing flywheel 24:45 Choosing your marketing avenues for each part of the flywheel 27:34 Concrete examples of businesses using a marketing flywheel 37:39 Everyone has a story to tell and formatting your marketing content for your audience 38:32 Set a goal 38:44 Develop your serve marketing assets first 39:34 Developing your nuture sequence 39:56 Developing your attract assets using the SEEN model   Links 100 Story Starter Download SEEN Slideshow Amanda Hofman episode about merch Strategy Session Discovery Call link

If you are a new business owner or if you are still reaching for that first $50,000 in revenue for your business, this mini-episode with my friend Aly Robins is just what you've been looking for. In just 7 minutes, Aly shares: the common mistakes she sees brand new service-based business owners making that is preventing them from finding clients and making money strategies for gaining momentum in your business and bringing in leads what you'll get from her new FREE masterclass 5 Steps to Your First $50k happening on May 1, 2024. Register for the masterclass with Aly here. Learn more about Aly and the services she provides at https://www.alyrobins.com/ or follow her on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/alyrobins1  

Have you ever wished you could just ask an expert, “How the heck do I do this…in simple terms?”   That’s exactly what I thought as I was planning out 2024 content for The Found Podcast: Why not give entrepreneurs and small business owners an opportunity to ask real questions in real time and get real answers that matter to them?   In this episode format called “Coaching Calls,” a small business owner/entrepreneur is given an opportunity to submit a question they would like me to answer about marketing, business growth, personal development, or anything that’s on their mind!   Today’s submission is from one of my former coaching clients and friend, Natalie Berning of Berning Acres, who asked, “Should I add Pinterest to my business marketing strategy?”   This is a layered question, but it’s one I think we all of us should ask from time to time as we develop our marketing strategy and assess its return on investment. Benefits of Incorporating Pinterest in your Small Business’ Marketing Strategy Now, my friend this is a very layered question, and as I go into with Natalie, it's not as simple as just starting an account and saying “Hey, let’s Pin!”    I highly recommend that anytime you add a platform to your marketing toolkit you make sure  A: that it is aligned with your ideal audience  B: that you have the time to dedicate to the learning and the growth it's going to take to get started on the platform  C: that you develop a long-term and short-term plan for how this new platform will serve your business D: especially with Pinterest, begin with the end in mind and map out your customer’s acquisition journey   That being said, there are lots of reasons a small business could benefit from the addition of Pinterest to their marketing strategy: Visual Discovery:  Pinterest is a highly visual platform where users discover ideas, products, and inspiration through images and videos. Small businesses can leverage this visual aspect to showcase their products or services in a visually appealing way, making them more discoverable to potential customers. High Intent Audience:  Pinterest users often have high purchase intent, with many actively seeking ideas and inspiration for future purchases. By creating engaging and relevant content, small businesses can connect with users who are actively looking for products or services like theirs, driving traffic and sales. Longevity of Pins:  Unlike other social media platforms where content may have a short lifespan, pins on Pinterest can have a long shelf life and continue to drive traffic and engagement over time. This means that small businesses can benefit from ongoing exposure and visibility for their content, even months or years after it's been pinned. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Benefits:  Pinterest acts as a visual search engine, allowing users to discover content based on keywords and interests. By optimizing pins with relevant keywords and descriptions, small businesses can improve their visibility in Pinterest search results and drive organic traffic to their website. Referral Traffic:  Pinterest is a powerful driver of referral traffic, with users frequently clicking through pins to visit external websites. Small businesses can use Pinterest to drive traffic to their website, blog, or online store, increasing brand exposure and potential conversions. Targeted Advertising Options:  Pinterest offers robust advertising options, including Promoted Pins and Pinterest Ads, which allow small businesses to target specific audiences based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. This targeted approach can help small businesses reach their ideal customers and drive meaningful results. Steps for Starting out on Pinterest Pinterest isn’t just another social media platform—it's a powerful tool for driving traffic, increasing brand visibility, and connecting with potential customers. If you’re ready to harness the potential of Pinterest for your business, here are five essential steps to get started: Create a Business Account:  The first step to launching your Pinterest marketing strategy is to create a business account. This will give you access to valuable analytics and advertising features that can help you track your progress and reach your goals. Optimize Your Profile:  Take the time to update and edit your account's bio section, profile picture, and helpful links. Use this space to showcase your brand personality, share important information about your business, and drive traffic to your website or other online properties. Create Relevant Boards:  Next, create boards that align with your content pillars and target audience interests. Use simple, SEO-friendly titles for your boards to help your content get found in Pinterest search results. Organize your boards strategically to make it easy for users to find the content they’re looking for. Curate and Repurpose Content:  Don’t limit yourself to sharing only your own content on Pinterest. Curate and repurpose high-quality content from other creators that is relevant to your audience and aligns with your brand. Share these pins on your boards to provide value to your followers and keep your feed fresh and engaging. Create Fresh Pins:  Finally, create your own fresh pins that direct people to your website, sales pages, and email opt-in forms. Use eye-catching visuals, compelling copy, and clear calls to action to encourage clicks and engagement. Experiment with different pin formats, designs, and messaging to see what resonates best with your audience.   By following these five steps, you’ll be well on your way to launching a successful Pinterest marketing strategy that drives traffic, increases brand awareness, and helps you achieve your business goals. Helpful Resources for Pinterest Marketing For more information about Pinterest best practices for your business, visit the following links: Jenna Kutcher The Pinterest Lab course Jenna Kutcher The Goal Digger Podcast episode Nicole Saunders episode of The Found Podcast A little more about Natalie and Berning Acres Berning Acres is a second generation family-owned dairy farm located in Menominee, Illinois (halfway between East Dubuque & Galena). There, the Berning family milks 400 cows, 3 times each day, 365 days a year. Their herd consists of mostly Holsteins (the black and white ones!) and in addition, they run about 850 acres of crop ground.    The Bernings have always loved inviting people to come check out the farm and experience what farming looks like in the 21st century. So it wasn’t long before they had the idea to add education and agri-tourism to their operation.    Throughout the year, the Bernings host a variety of events, tours, and camps to bring people to the farm and learn about what it takes to make the food we see on the shelves in our local grocery stores. From their kid-friendly Farm Camps and day camps to the adults-only Night at the Farm events perfect for date night, their events sell quickly and get rave reviews from visitors in the Galena, Illinois, area.   Their hope is that you’ll leave with some great knowledge about agriculture, farm animals and farm life (and a deeper appreciation for that wholesome nutritious glass of milk you enjoy each day!)     For more information about Berning Acres and to schedule your farm experience, visit https://berningacres.com/ Be a Guest on a Future Coaching Call   If you’d like to ask Molly your business or marketing question on a future episode of The Found Podcast, click the link below to enter your name and burning question:   https://forms.gle/BDjRPRWfmuFeHQZ89

When I started thinking about who to have in as a guest expert on the topics of systems and workflows, I knew exactly who my dream interview would be, so I shot my shot and sent an Instagram DM to Holly Haynes….yes. THE Holly Haynes.   Holly helps female entrepreneurs create simple, scaleable offers and systems to grow to multi-6 figures without relying on the social algorithm.   One of the things I love most about my time with Holly is her authenticity and her willingness to talk about all things business, including: her history in the corporate world and making the transition to side hustler and ultimately CEO getting connected with your community and using their questions and data to help you build a unique framework and business model that is true to your business strategies for scheduling your day and week her favorite tools for getting your time back as a business owner having her Instagram account taken down when she had over 16,000 followers how to “ditch the social drama” and incorporate marketing methods that don’t rely on an algorithm   This conversation with Holly is so much fun. You're going to learn incredible amounts of information (as I did!), and I think you're also going to fall in love with Holly along the way.   Key Takeaways “I feel like on paper, it looks like we went from like zero to a hundred really fast, but I always share: it's almost like you have these little nudges along the way, and you like take a step and then you pivot, and then you take a step and you pivot.” “It's all been based on what people are asking, but also, how can we serve based on where people are at.” “I had enough corporate experience where I could just step away for a year. If it like all went downhill, then I could just like go back in the workforce.” “I always say, if you can control your schedule, you control everything, right? It's all about time and where you're spending your time.” “I'm just constantly trying to create this white space because that's where the creativity comes from.” “Consistency trumps talent….so if you could pick the thing that you can be consistent about and then add it into your schedule where it doesn't feel like work, or if it does feel like work, it's for an hour, and then you're like moving on, you're going to see much better results.” “We use social as, I like to call it like a magazine: it's like the sidecar to the main act. So the main act for us is podcasting and email.” “Your home base is usually your email or some sort of nurture sequence or something. Most people get really overwhelmed by setting this up. What I tell them is just pause everything else because this is going to help you so much. When you're on podcast, what do you share? You share this. When you're networking, what do you share? You share this. When you're talking in emails or things like that, this is the thing that's going to do the work for you.” “What if my goal was to help a hundred families change their schedule this year, right? Or a hundred families build their dream business? How would that feel as opposed to: I need 10 more clients, right? It just feels different.” “You can run your business however you want to.” Helpful Links to Items Mentioned in the Episode Jeni’s Ice Cream Metricool ClickUp Planner ManyChat ChatGPT Video Ask More About Holly   Holly helps female entrepreneurs create simple, scaleable offers and systems to grow to multi-6 figures without relying on the social algorithm.    An industry expert and featured Thrive and Entrepreneur.com author with a 20-year business consulting background with Fortune 500 companies, Holly built her now 7- figure business while working full-time, retiring herself and her husband.    Holly now runs her strategic coaching business, the Crush the Rush Planner company, and hosts the top 100 Crush the Rush podcast while raising her twin daughters with her husband in Columbus, Ohio.   Holly’s FREE CEO Week Challenge: https://www.hollymariehaynes.com/ceoweek   Listen to Holly on the Crush the Rush podcast: https://www.hollymariehaynes.com/podcast

Time to get tactical, my friends.   I love talking about energy and mindset and confidence and habits as much as the next person, but there are seasons for that and there are seasons to work and put your money where your mouth is.   April is about taking action here at MKM.   It’s all about setting up the tools, systems, and workflows that will help you run your small business better, and today I’m starting with introducing you to my 10 Favorite Tech Tools that I rely on day-in and day-out in my business.   Disclaimer: These aren’t the fanciest, sexiest tools. They aren’t going to automate your processes and take you from A→Z in 24 hours, but they are the tried and true tools I’ve integrated over the course of my seven years in business here at MKM.   As I share my favorite tools of 2024, I also share tools that offer similar functions and features that may be better suited for those who are at an earlier stage of business or prefer a different user experience.   Let’s dive in with my 10 Favorite Tech Tools for small business owners.   Slack What is it: Slack is a popular cloud-based collaboration tool designed to facilitate communication and teamwork within organizations. It offers a wide range of features, including real-time messaging, file sharing, project management, and integration with other productivity tools. Overall, Slack is widely used by teams and organizations of all sizes to improve communication, collaboration, and productivity in the workplace. How I use it: Communicating with MKM team members. We love the “Channels” feature that allows us categorize our conversations and file sharing by client. No more losing conversations in long email threads. Everything is easy to find and search and in one place. We operate on the free version of the platform, as it had all the capabilities and functions we needed as a super small team. Heads up: Set up rules, expectations, and boundaries to keep everything on-track and above-board. Link to Slack: https://slack.com/ ClickUp What is it: ClickUp is used by teams and organizations across various industries to increase efficiency, collaboration, and transparency in their work processes. ClickUp is a cloud-based productivity platform designed to help teams and individuals organize and manage their work. It offers a wide range of features and tools to streamline task management, project collaboration, goal tracking, and more. How I use it: Tracking projects, assigning certain team members to projects, assigning and monitoring due dates, time tracking, and project management. There is So. Much. More. you can do with Clickup, and I know I’m merely scratching the surface of its functionality. Heads up: Other apps like Asana and Trello are also helpful for project management. Link to ClickUp: https://clickup.com/ Dubsado What is it: Dubsado is designed to help small businesses and freelancers streamline their operations, improve client management, and enhance productivity. It provides a comprehensive set of tools to support various aspects of running a business, from client acquisition to project delivery and beyond. How I use it: I use Dubsado for preparing, sending and signing client contracts; sending and receiving client questionnaires; scheduling; automated emails; and I used to use it for invoicing and billing. Heads up: Other CRMs like Honeybook, Hubspot, Pipedrive, and Salesforce are also helpful for Customer Relationship Management. Link to Dubsado (and get 20% off your first month or your first year!): dubsado.com/?c=mkm20 Flodesk What is it: Flodesk is an email marketing platform designed to help businesses and creators create visually stunning email campaigns easily. It offers a range of features and templates to assist users in designing and sending emails that are visually appealing and engaging. Flodesk is known for its simplicity, ease of use, and visually appealing email designs, making it a popular choice for small businesses, bloggers, and creators looking to enhance their email marketing efforts. How I use it: I use Flodesk for everything: sending newsletters, sending client emails, creating landing pages, creating sales pages, checkouts for programs, segmenting my audience, and in general, keeping in touch with my clients somewhere off of social media.  Heads up: Other email marketing platforms include Mailchimp, Constant Contact, ConvertKit, and ActiveCampaign Link to Flodesk (and save 50% on your first year!): https://flodesk.com/c/MOLLYKNUTHMEDIA MetaBusiness Suite What is it: MetaBusiness Suite is a suite of business tools offered by Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook. These tools are designed to help businesses manage their presence and advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and other platforms owned by Meta. How I use it: Measuring/monitoring my Facebook and Instagram insights and scheduling posts for myself and my clients. Heads up: Other social media schedulers include Hootsuite, Metricool, Buffer, Later, and Planoly Link to Meta Business Suite: https://www.facebook.com/business/tools/meta-business-suite?content_id=ioLzWr9kXf4GlaQ&ref=sem_smb&utm_term=meta%20business%20suite&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrruu_seShQMVCktHAR1q-w6VEAAYASAAEgIEafD_BwE&gad_source=1 Quickbooks What is it: QuickBooks is accounting software developed and marketed by Intuit. It's designed primarily for small and medium-sized businesses to help them manage their finances more efficiently. QuickBooks offers a range of features to help users track income and expenses, manage invoices and payments, track sales and sales tax, generate financial reports, and more. How I use it: My favorite is for sending sales receipts and processing payments. I also use it for bookkeeping, running reports, and sending off-cycle invoices. Heads up: I’ve heard great things about Wave and FreshBooks too!  Link to Quickbooks: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/ Google Drive What is it: Google Drive is a cloud storage and file-sharing service developed by Google. It allows users to store files, documents, photos, and other data in the cloud, making them accessible from any device with an internet connection. How I use it: I love to use it to create folders for each client and drop in relevant resources to share with them: spreadsheets, documents, videos, photos, etc. I also love Google Forms for creating shareable forms. Heads up: Dropbox is great too! Link to Google Drive: https://www.google.com/drive/ Libsyn What is it: Libsyn, short for Liberated Syndication, is a podcast hosting service and distribution platform. It provides podcasters with the tools and infrastructure needed to host, publish, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. How I use it: I host The Found Podcast on Libsyn. I upload the episode once, and Libysn takes care of distributing it to all the podcasting platforms. I also can access analytics for my show and monetize/add advertising if I wish, all through the Libsyn platform. Heads up: Podbean, Anchor, and Captivate are other podcast hosting platforms that offer a range of features and pricing. Link to Libsyn: https://libsyn.com/   ChatGPT What is it: ChatGPT is a conversational AI model developed by OpenAI. ChatGPT is designed to generate human-like responses to text prompts, allowing for natural and engaging conversations with users. ChatGPT can understand and generate text in multiple languages and can be fine-tuned for specific tasks or domains. It has a wide range of applications, including chatbots, virtual assistants, customer support, content generation, and more. How I use it: Writing these show notes - lol! Not kidding! Getting ideas started, writing captions and blogs, generating SEO-friendly titles, and more. Heads up: business owners of any size can incorporate AI models from customer service to marketing to project management and more. Many of the tools identified earlier in this document have AI-powered features that help you streamline and automate the digital aspects of your business. Link to ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/auth/login   Canva What is it: Canva is a versatile and user-friendly tool that caters to a wide range of design needs, from personal projects to professional marketing materials. Create a wide range of visual content, including presentations, social media graphics, posters, flyers, infographics, and more. It offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and a vast library of customizable templates, graphics, photos, and fonts. How I use it: Literally everything. Social media graphics, presentation slides, Christmas cards, business cards, flyers, brochures, postcards, videos, GIFs, QR codes, and more. Heads up: Adobe’s suite of products, including Adobe Spark also offer a variety of design tool for small business owenrs Link to Canva: https://www.canva.com/   Honorable Mentions ManyChat Laurel Denise Planner (check out my episode with founder, Laurel Smith here!) My favorite pen My favorite legal pads Curiosity Tenacity Grit Determination   Get in the MKM Book Club In April, MKM is hosting a free resource for entrepreneurs and small business owners who desire community and personal/professional development each month with our MKM Book Club. Our April selection, continuing this focus on systems and workflows, is Do Less by Kate Northrup.   Do Less is a book for working women and mothers who are ready to release the culturally inherited belief that their worth is equal to their productivity, and instead create a personal and professional life that's based on presence, meaning, and joy. As opposed to focusing on "fitting it all in", time management, and leaning in, as so many books geared at ambitious women do, this book embraces the notion that through doing less women can have - and be - more.   To join the MKM Book Club visit mkm.myflodesk.com/mkmaprilbookclub

Today’s submission is from an Iowa friend who asked, “How can I create more compelling social media content that converts into sales?”   This is a layered question, but it’s one I think we all of us should ask from time to time as we develop our marketing strategy and assess its return on investment.   Tips for making your social media content stand out for product-based businesses   Use multiple images on posts: when viewers see that there are more photos available than they can see from the preview, curiosity takes over and they click through all the images in the post. Each image is logged as one engagement by the social media platforms, and every engagement tells that algorithm that your post is something more people want to see. More clicks = more engagement = more reach. Prioritize candid, real-life images, not just the pretty, curated ones: yes, we live in a world of FaceTune and Photoshop, but what really compels viewers to stop their scroll is something relatable. Think photos that are a little imperfect, backgrounds they recognize from their own community, vignettes that they could picture in their own homes.  Incorporate Video: Using video to share new product arrivals, whether in a post, Reel, or Story, will help your viewers get the full effect. Don’t feel pressured to do trendy dance moves or spend hours editing and clipping your videos. Just prioritize being helpful and informative as you display your newest items in your shop via video. Listen to today's episode for even more tips!   A little more about our guest today… Kimberly Kollasch is the founder and owner of 400 RS Home & Design in Whittemore, Iowa. She is passionate about making homes beautiful and cozy, so through her storefront (both a brick-and-mortar shopping experience and an online store) Kimberly offers seasonal decor and giftables. Not only does she offer brand-new items, but she also has a talent for breathing new life into vintage furniture so it looks modern and perfectly at home in 2024. Learn more about 400 RS Home & Design To find out more about Kimberly and what her business offers, visit https://400-rs-home-design.myshopify.com/ or give them a follow over on Instagram or Facebook   If you want to be a guest on an upcoming coaching call Click here to submit your question for Molly: https://forms.gle/LfZzFZgWiDwwehZD7

Amanda Hofman of Go To Market Studio is the “go-to” for creating anti-boring custom merch for your business that will turn heads and keep you top of mind for your ideal clients and customers.   Amanda is a wife, human mom of 2, dog mom, and co-founder of Go To Market, her second company in her entrepreneurial career.    She and her company create custom-branded merchandise for businesses, authors, podcasters, and more. They’re flipping the branded merchandise industry on its head by challenging the age-old practice of sticking the company’s logo in the middle of whatever product they are handing out, be it tee shirts, hats, pens, lunch boxes, tumblers, etc.    Instead, Amanda and her design team dig into their client’s mission, vision, and branding to create designs that represent their values. As a result, they create swag that clients and customers are willing and excited to rep!   The other part of the Go To Market model that is revolutionizing the industry hinges on sustainability and inclusion. All their client’s online merch shops are print-on-demand, meaning companies don’t have to order and store massive quantities of coffee cups, pre-sized tee shirts, and the like. Clients and customers can place their orders online and get the size, shape, color, style that they want. This leads to less waste and more intentional and valued usage of the products.   Key Takeaways from Today’s Episode “You gotta walk through the suck to get through to the other side.” “We expect things to be custom and meaningful and interesting and targeted.” “We’re focusing on teaching companies…how to make items that really reflect their values. So we’re not printing their logo front and center, we’re printing something that’s meaningful to the business. We’re trying to harness the thing that makes a business, an author, a podcaster special.” “The other part we’re doing is the sustainability piece where everything prints on-demand…everything prints as it’s ordered, so that people get what they want in the size, shape, color, style that they want it.” “It’s really about connection…People aren’t connected to your logo, they’re connected to ideas. They’re connected to the way that you make them feel.” “So many business owners want branded merch because they love their brand.” “There are risks that we’re willing to take and not.” “That I feel like we just have to acknowledge it…Entrepreneurship, a variable income is very challenging if you’re raising a family. A variable income is challenging, period. And then if you’re raising a family, like, I can’t imagine that level of stress.” “I’m not a failure. I tried something, and it didn’t work out.” “When a company is giving a gift where there isn’t choice, even if it’s thoughtful, even if it’s beautiful to you, you’re still giving a burden to people at some level.” Go to Market with Amanda Check out all that Amanda and Go To Market Studio has to offer on their website or connect with her over on LinkedIn for all the updates in her upcoming adventures. Helpful Links Mentioned in the Episode Website: https://gotomarket.studio/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/gotomarketstudio/ Amanda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandagoldfinehofman/ Failure Pod Episode: https://mollyknuthmedia.com/2023/09/05/perspectives-from-a-failing-business-owner/ Break an Egg group: https://break-an-egg.ck.page/products/break-an-egg Work Clean Book: https://a.co/d/gvJ03FP

Risk is inherent in life.   Every damn day.   Whether you decide to stay the same or make a change.   Like following the speed limit, or going 5 over…or tinting your driver’s windows and getting pulled over by the same state trooper twice now.   Like staying at the same 5 pound weights you’ve been using for 8 weeks, or going up to 8 pounders for this next strength session.   Like swiping right or swiping left.   Staying at your job with a steady paycheck or going all-in on your business.   Each choice above comes with a risk whether you decide to “play it safe” or “take a chance.”   The risk of following the speed limit may be arriving late to your meeting, while going 5 over could get you a ticket.   The risk of using 5 pounders is not seeing the muscle tone as quickly as you’d like, but going up to 8s means you might be sore tomorrow.   Swiping right might mean…actually I don’t know the difference between swiping right or swiping left, but you get the picture.   There isn’t necessarily a “right” or a “wrong” choice in any of the scenarios above, but one presents a bigger perceived risk than the other.   Taking risk is inherent in life.    We can choose to stay the path and follow the course we started down, or we can change along the way.    Change is a risk.    It’s uncomfortable, and it’s meant to be.    Because part of taking risk is knowing and exploring and pushing what our upper limits are and finding ourselves at the edges of what is possible. Key Takeaways from the Podcast: “Risk is inherent.”  “March is the season of spring, a sense of renewal, a sense of rebirth, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that anytime in my life when I’ve considered taking a risk or making a change...a lot of it does connect with this season of spring, this month of March.” “I really was just testing my upper limits, seeing what is possible...I never would have known what my limits were had I not tried this other path.” “Over time by increasing resistance, I increased my threshold of risk, I increased my thermostat of taking chances, and i was proving to myself...what I was capable of.” “And it’s through some of those “small risks” that we take, that we really do prove to ourselves who we are.” “Part of taking risk is knowing and exploring and pushing what our upper limits are.” Helpful Links: Sweat Inspire Sisterhood: Virtual + NEW in-person women’s fitness and nutrition community The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks Get in the MKM Book Club In March, MKM is hosting our third month of the MKM Book Club for entrepreneurs and small business owners who desire community and personal/professional development each month. Our first selection is The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks.   In The Big Leap, New York Times bestselling author Gay Hendricks reveals a simple yet comprehensive program for overcoming our one barrier to happiness and fulfillment, providing a clear path for achieving our true potential and attaining not only financial success but also success in love and life.   To join the MKM Book Club visit mkm.myflodesk.com/marchmkmbookclub

Have you ever wished you could just ask an expert, “How the heck do I do this…in simple terms?”   That’s exactly what I thought as I was planning out 2024 content for The Found Podcast: Why not give entrepreneurs and small business owners an opportunity to ask real questions in real time and get real answers that matter to them?   In this new episode format called “Coaching Calls,” a small business owner/entrepreneurs is given an opportunity to submit a question they would like me to answer about marketing, business growth, personal development, or anything that’s on their mind!   Today’s submission is from an Iowa friend who asked, “How do you organize and execute your content creation to support your audience and marketing?”   This is a layered question, but it’s one I think we all should consider this year more than ever in our business marketing.  Strategy is the name of the game in small business marketing in 2024   We are not throwing spaghetti at the wall, friends.   We are running a business.   And running a business is most enjoyable, profitable, and impactful when we have a clear plan of serving our clients and customers.   This translates to our marketing too! We want to make sure that all forms of our business’ marketing, whether print materials, social media, on our website, or in face-to-face conversation, is cohesive, clear, and compelling for our ideal clients/customers.    As business owners, we don’t have time to waste spending hours creating marketing materials and digital content that feels disjointed and confusing, we want to be able to follow a strategic plan that guides our audience so they know about us, understand how we help them, experience a bit of what it’s like to work with us, and ultimately choose to become our clients and customers.   How do we do this?   Start by answering the following: what are your goals? who is your ideal client/customer? how do they spend their time? what do they love? what do they not love? how do you talk to your ideal client/customer?   Then move into mapping out what to talk about and what you want to sell on a paper calendar. Jot down important dates and events for the month, assign a theme to the month, and identify various tips, products, or services that tie into that theme so your ideal clients how you help them solve their problems.   In today’s episode, I provide a variety of examples for planning a social media marketing calendar for both product and service-based businesses so you can have strategy guiding your content creation.  A little more about our guest today… Maryann Baldwin is the founder and owner of The Works in Lansing, Iowa. She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs, small business owners and dreamers go after and achieve their goals. Through her business’ Office Works, Kitchen Works, and Innovation Works, Maryann helps local dreamers and doers launch, grow, and remain competitive in the business market. Learn more about Lansing Works To find out more about Maryann and what her business offers, visit https://www.lansingofficeworks.com/ or give them a follow over on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn!

Listener, when I was mapping out the first part of the year here at The Found Podcast and decided that February was all about belief and self-confidence, I just KNEW we had to have my friend Coach Kiah in for a guest interview.   Kiah Twisselman Burchett is a California cattle rancher turned motivational speaker on a mission to empower others to love themselves deeper, care for themselves better, and find joy in this messy, beautiful, journey of life.   Through hosting retreats, motivational speaking, her podcast Climbing with Coach Kiah, and coaching her clients, Coach Kiah helps women cultivate confidence through self-awareness, compassion, curiosity, and growth.   As she shares in the episode, Kiah wouldn’t always describe herself as “confident,” but through all the peaks and valleys of her lived experience, she’s learned to lean into her gifts, talents, and dreams, to write her own story.   Our time together FLEW by and I just loved where the journey took us in today’s episode. Be sure to visit Coach Kiah’s website for more, including details on her upcoming Ireland retreat, her Cultivating Confidence free downloadable guide, and more of her energetic and inspirational stories from her podcast.  Key Takeaways She calls herself a “California cattle ranch kid,” and throughout her life Kiah has found herself coming back time and again to the rural/ag community. Kiah says that a lot of her self-worth over the years was defined by her picture of the “ideal body.” Her journey to attain that body over nearly two decades lead to a series of yo-yo fad diets before a pivotal moment caused her to take massive action and reinvent herself and her entire life.  Kiah found success in her mental, physical, and emotional wellness when she stopped restricting herself and began celebrating, loving, and nourishing herself with what she needed: “It was more about what would make me feel really good today…and really it was about focusing on the mindset aspect first.” “I had no idea where my life would be now, five years ago. And I’m not naive enough to say that I know what the next five years of my life will look like. I don’t know, but I’m along for the ride!” “The truth is that I really do believe that every single one of us are the main characters in our own lives, but whether or not we feel that way is another story.” “All of us are looking for this prescriptive list…we want someone to tell us what to do…But the question isn’t “what do I do?” the question is “how do I think?” and the thinking and the feeling is the hardest part of this journey but it’s the most important piece.” It’s the thinking and the feeling, not the doing, that will ultimately propel us to personal and professional success and belief in ourselves. “We are not even aware of the stories we are constantly ruminating on in the back of our minds.” Coach Kiah really believes that journaling and getting those thoughts out on paper is a helpful tool for reflection, self-awareness, and growth. Where is Coach Kiah climbing in 2024? Listen to the full episode to find out! Climb with Kiah Check out all that Coach Kiah has to offer on her website, especially her podcast library and her Cultivating Confidence guide, or connect with her over on IG for all the updates in her upcoming adventures.

Have you ever held yourself back from something because you just didn’t think you were “ready yet?”   Held yourself back from a promotion? Knocked your pricing down a little bit because you were worried about what other people think? Waited to make a purchase? Bit your tongue instead of spoke your true feelings aloud? Held off until “Monday,” “next week,” or “next month” to begin a new habit?   Ladies, we often are our own worst enemies in holding ourselves back due to imposter syndrome. We feel like we don’t have enough education, experience, or preparation, for the next step we’re considering and therefore we don’t make a move…at all.   Imposter syndrome isn’t a new concept, and it affects a majority of women in their personal and professional lives. It keeps us small, it has us feeling stuck, and it’s time to say, “that’s enough of that shit.”   The antidote to imposter syndrome? Cultivating our belief in ourselves as individuals, moms, wives, aunties, friends, teammates, and business owners.   Self-belief doesn’t just come from the ground, though. It involves taking messy action so we learn to trust ourselves. Trusting ourselves over time so that we become confident in our abilities, and turning that confidence into an innate belief of who we are and what we are capable of.    In today’s episode of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth, I share some surprising facts about imposter syndrome, actions to take as we begin to flex our trust and confidence muscles, and ultimately how to believe that we have what it takes to be our best selves in 2024.   Actions Steps for Stepping into Trust, Confidence, and Belief in Yourself While I wish I could take credit for the following action steps, they are attributed to my friends at The Restoration Project and the article The 4 P’s of Imposter Syndrome and How They Impact Women by Lis Cashin.   Journal on the following questions: What do I like about myself? What do I know about myself? What seems to come more naturally to me than to others? What positive feedback am I consistently given that rings true to me? Where do I feel most confident in my ability to contribute? What am I best at? What drains my energy? What is difficult for me? What are my weaknesses? Network with people who you identify with the future you and where you’re growing into. Find membership groups, peer groups, mentors, community groups, who you can relate with and learn from. Embrace imperfection! Give yourself permission to act when you only feel about 60% ready (don’t wait to feel 100% there!) and the grace to know that you WILL make mistakes, and you WILL learn from them to make improvements and get better. Set realistic goals! Hot take: instead of a crazy huge, ambitious, hard to reach goal, knock it down a peg so it is attainable! Then you can celebrate your success, build momentum, and use it to motivate yourself going forward.   Helpful Links: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson You are a Badass by Jen Sincero Cultivating Confidence download by Coach Kiah Podcast: Self-Confidence is Bullshit by Coach Kiah Article: Imposter Syndrome Predominantly Affects Women - Here’s How we can Overcome It by Cheri Beranek Article: The 4 P’s of Imposter Syndrome and How They Impact Women by Lis Cashin Enhancing Our Confidence by Lindsay Leahy   Get in the MKM Book Club In February, MKM is hosting our second month of the MKM Book Club for entrepreneurs and small business owners who desire community and personal/professional development each month. Our first selection is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson.   Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—"not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault." Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.   To join the MKM Book Club visit mkm.myflodesk.com/mkmfebruarybookclub

Have you ever wished you could just ask an expert, “how the heck do I do this…in simple terms?”  That's exactly what I thought as I was planning out 2024 content for The Found Podcast. Why not give entrepreneurs and small business owners an opportunity to ask real questions in real time and get real answers that matter to them?   In this new format called “Coaching Calls,” small business owners and entrepreneurs are given an opportunity to submit one question they would like to ask me about marketing, business growth, personal development, or anything that we touch on here at The Found Podcast.   When I saw the first submission come in from this friend of the pod, I was so excited! And I knew we had to have her on, not just because she's amazing and her business is so impressive, but also because her question is so relatable and probably on your mind too:    “Molly should I add TikTok in 2024 to my marketing tool kit?”    Why to Add TikTok in ‘24 Now, my friend this is a very layered question, and as I go into with Alix, it's not as simple as just starting an account and saying “Hey, follow me now!”    I highly recommend that anytime you add a platform to your marketing toolkit you make sure  A: that it is aligned with your ideal audience  B: that you have the time to dedicate to the learning and the growth it's going to take to get started on the platform  C: that you develop a long-term and short-term plan for how this new platform will serve your business   In 2024, I do think that TikTok offers a great opportunity for business owners who are product based and are direct to consumer, but I do think there are a few other items to consider before diving into TikTok for business.    For example you'll hear me talk with Alix about developing a serial approach to your TikTok videos so there are multiple videos produced in a similar style. You’ll also hear me advising Alex on growth strategies and understanding which accounts are already connecting with her ideal client and how she can use some of those accounts to inspire her creativity or guide her content as she grows for her business.   If you are asking yourself: “Should I add TikTok to my business marketing?” go ahead and tune into this coaching call, my friend.   It's a 20 minute conversation that will really help you as you consider adding a platform to your marketing repertoire in the new year.   A little more about our guest today… Alix and I got to know each other in 2021 when she enrolled in the first iteration of MKM Social School, and over the past few years I’ve gotten to know her and her business a little better.   Alix and her husband live in McCook, Nebraska, where together they raise three boys and own and operate Sehnert’s Bakery & Bieroc Cafe, a 500-year-old business that originated in Germany.    You can here more of her business’ evolution and her founder story in Episode 77 of The Found Podcast (which was called Small-Minded when we originally recorded this interview in 2022). Learn more about Sehnert’s Bakery Give Sehnert’s a follow over on Instagram and Facebook and head to their website to get in contact!

Tis the damn season: the season for writing out our big goals for the new year.   Many of us have grown up and built our businesses on the idea that you need to draft big, hairy, scary goals and start tackling them, like yesterday with new methods, strategies, and a whole new you when January 1 rolls around.   But the truth is that in reaching goals or pursuing change at any level, success doesn’t lie in the audaciousness of the goal itself, but in the habits you put in place to help you reach your goals over time.   As James Clear says, “You have to standardize before you optimize.” The more you virtualize the beginning of a process and the more you can repeat it, the more you can rewire your brain and make it second nature. Over time, this results in the creation of a habit and allows your body to take over in pursuit of your new goal.   In today’s episode of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth, we discuss the procuss of building new habits, how to get them to stick, and helpful tools to help you create new habits in the new year.   Establishing a New Habit While I wish I could take credit for the following action steps, they are attributed to the one and only James Clear in his article How to Build a New Habit: This is Your Strategy Guide.   Start with an incredibly small habit. Make it so tiny and easy you can’t say no. Increase your habit in very small ways. Progressively add resistance, time, and intensity so your willpower and motivation have time to catch up. Break habits into chunks. Don’t burn yourself out, that’s a one-way ticket to feeling unable to continue. Give yourself smaller milestones that add up to big wins. Get back on track quickly. Aim for consistency over perfection, and never miss twice. Pick a sustainable pace and give yourself time. Track your progress so you can see your results and build confidence. BONUS: (this one is from Molly) put an accountability practice in place.   Helpful Links: How to Build a New Habit: This is Your Strategy Guide article by James Clear To Create a Healthy Habit, Find an Accountability Buddy article by Tara Parker-Pope Atomic Habits by James Clear Badass Habits by Jen Sincero The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey High Performance Habits by Brendan Burchard You Do You 82 Habit Challenge with Emily Reuschel   Get in the MKM Book Club In January, MKM is launching a free resource for entrepreneurs and small business owners who desire community and personal/professional development each month with our MKM Book Club. Our first selection is Badass Habits by Jen Sincero.   Badass Habits is a eureka-sparking, easy-to-digest look at how our habits make us who we are, from the measly moments that happen in private to the resolutions we loudly broadcast (and, erm, often don't keep) on social media. Habit busting and building goes way beyond becoming a dedicated flosser or never showing up late again--our habits reveal our unmet desires, the gaps in our boundaries, our level of self-awareness, and our unconscious beliefs and fears. Badass Habits features Jen's trademark hilarious voice and offers a much-needed fresh take on the conventional wisdom and science that shape the optimism (or pessimism?) around the age-old topic of habits. The book includes enlightening interviews with people who've successfully strengthened their discipline backbones, new perspective on how to train our brains to become our best selves, and offers a simple, 21 day, step-by-step guide for ditching habits that don't serve us and developing the habits we deem most important. Habits shouldn't be impossible to reset--and with healthy boundaries, knowledge of--and permission to go after--our desires, and an easy to implement plan of action, we can make any new goal a joyful habit.   To join the MKM Book Club visit mkm.myflodesk.com/bookclub

This episode of the found podcast is unlike any other you have heard here before!    Number one: we have a guest on the podcast for the first time in months! We are welcoming my sister Jessie Ryan to the pod today, and Jessie brings with her a fresh perspective that we haven't had on the podcast before!   Jessie comes to us as a nurse and leader in the health care field. She is part of the University Of Iowa Hospitals And Clinics, and today we really do talk about anything and everything.   We wanted this to just be like a fun little conversation between sisters.    We are lovingly calling this “Cascade Heights” because, you know, siblings hosting a podcast together with no apparent point…I mean doesn't it just bring you the “New Heights” Jason and Travis Kelsey vibe??? So we're calling it “Cascade Heights” because that's where we came from: Cascade, Iowa.   We talk about our upbringing in a small town.  We talk about Christmas memories.  We talke about the best Christmas gifts we've ever received.  We talk about memories of Christmas. FYI: parents you might want to watch out for little ears as you're listening to today's episode! We talk a lot about what computers used to be like.  We talked about recording cassettes off the radio. We talk about her work experience and what it means to be a leader, how workplace culture affects the value you feel in the workplace, and how she's really seeing the importance and the emphasis on culture by her own leadership team.    So, we talk about a lot of things you know Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Polly Pocket, The Sims, but please know that there isn't really a point.    While you won't get a ton of business expertise from today's episode, I hope you get some giggles and some joy! From me to you, happy holidays and I will see you in the new year!   Key Links: High School Musical 3 TikTok we reference: https://www.tiktok.com/@giannacervino/video/7310984936809319723?_r=1&_t=8i70RkZ0gUI Polly Pocket set we reference: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxksHRotU-a/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Loving Family Dollhouse that Jessie references: https://www.ebay.com/itm/364621207003?hash=item54e51e15db:g:E~kAAOSwCnxlS~BM This is what I was picturing in my head: https://www.ebay.com/itm/295959816882?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28 The Sims 1 Gameplay: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryanplaysthesims/video/7301422497361153312?lang=en The Sims 2 Trailer: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesims2.org/video/7110279272673168645?lang=en Jessie’s Barbie Dream House: https://www.tiktok.com/@thenostalchick/video/7251219502149487914?_r=1&_t=8i8DZP8VeWN

149: MKM Wrapped: 2023 Recap If you like me, binged your Spotify Wrapped analysis last week, you are my kind of people.   As I swiped through my recap of top songs, top artists, time spent binge listening to Taylor Swift and Zach Bryan and Dax Shepard, and places around the world with listening habits similar to mine (Bozeman, MT), I was inspired to complete my own Wrapped for MKM 2023.   In today’s episode, we’ll break down my top ten things learned at MKM this year, including but not limited to:   the power of having a mantra to root into and orient your actions all year long the power of tiny, consistent habits the power of asking “what if?” the power of letting go Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram. Reach out by email: [email protected]

Hey there, listener.    In this week’s solocast we’re tackling the to-do list. Specifically, what is on your list just to do and what is there to make a real difference in your business? How many courses or workshops have we taken without implementing? How many self-help books have we read without helping? How many storage bins have we purchased without doing any organizing? This podcast discusses the difference between action instead of just motion. As small business owners we’re always moving. But do our motions move us forward? Key Takeaways Sweat Inspire Sisterhood Drop 10 linked here, follow Erica on Instagram and Facebook “The pursuit of a goal isn’t just in managing the mile markers to get us to that end result.” “We don’t rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of the systems we put in place as we reach for those goals.” - Atomic Habits by James Clear Stack habits you would like to adopt with habits you already have. Consider workshops and education opportunities carefully. Do they put you in ACTION or just in motion? “Motion in a business can look like creating the world's most gorgeous social media content calendar, but it is only motion if you don't actually push publish on the post.” Analyze the actions you make regularly and question how the result will help you in the long run. Build a reflection time into you schedule at least once a week to revisit if your actions are moving the needle. Dollars are not your only currency. Also consider how you spend your time and energy. Suneera Madhani of the CEO School Podcast has the method of Do, Delegate, and Delete for determining what tasks to focus on. “Rest is an active choice when you are someone who is ambitious and motivated and driven.” Your homework is to TAKE ACTION. Don’t just let your next business podcast play, go now and GET STARTED on something you took away from today. Connect with Molly Sign up for the MKM Eras Bootcamp for just $77 Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram. Reach out by email: [email protected]

Your Lover Era: Video Get ready to see sparks fly across your business’ social media platforms! Every day this week on The Found Podcast I’ll share quick, actionable tips for engaging content to close out the final quarter of 2023. Are you ready for it?   Today’s Intention: Put your face on video if you want to make a connection with your followers.   Just last year reels and TikToks were the fast-track to success. Video is no longer guaranteed to go viral, but it remains a great way to connect with your audience.  What’s working now doesn’t require fancy transitions and heavy editing: Try some B-roll background video overlaid with a hook and an insightful, educational caption. Use video to humanize your brand and connect with viewers. Take them behind the scenes on your day-to-day or offer a live Q&A session.  Videos can be simple, but it doesn’t take a lot to do them well. Seek out good lighting and get a wireless mic for the best sound. The algorithms seem to prefer you to edit within their platform. Otherwise, Camtasia is my favorite software for long-form editing. Connect with Molly Sign up for the MKM Eras Bootcamp for just $77 Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram. Reach out by email: [email protected]

Your Reputation Era: Captions  Get ready to see "sparks fly" across your business’ social media platforms! Every day this week on The Found Podcast I’ll share quick, actionable tips for engaging content to close out the final quarter of 2023. "Are you ready for it?"   Today’s Intention: Get real with our writing and know that there is a way to make it more efficient and engaging.   Use ChatCPT to generate a content calendar and captions for your business. It’s going to take a little work to train it to “know you,” but it can respond with a specific length, objective, and tone for a post.  Edit your posts to include words and phrases you typically use and make sure each caption has a hook, body to explain the point, and call to action for what your followers should do next. Connect with Molly Sign up for the MKM Eras Bootcamp for just $77 Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram. Reach out by email: [email protected]

Your 1989 Era: Storytelling  Get ready to see "sparks fly" across your business’ social media platforms! Every day this week on The Found Podcast I’ll share quick, actionable tips for engaging content to close out the final quarter of 2023. "Are you ready for it?"   Today’s Intention: Get real with ourselves about how we need to use storytelling in our marketing if we want people to remember it.   I’ve covered narrative framework in depth in previous episode (Episode 147), but provide a quick refresh here. Think of your social media post, or series of posts, like the plot maps we made in middle school. We need characters, a setting, a problem, and solution. Don’t come right at your audience with a “HEY! Buy my product!” Instead, build a story that illustrates how your product or service can solve a problem. You might be a few posts into a series without mentioning your product at all. Connect with Molly Sign up for the MKM Eras Bootcamp for just $77 Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram. Reach out by email: [email protected]

Your Red Era: Graphics  Get ready to see "sparks fly" across your business’ social media platforms! Every day this week on The Found Podcast I’ll share quick, actionable tips for engaging content to close out the final quarter of 2023. "Are you ready for it?"   Today’s Intention: Stop making boring graphics.   Ok. Graphics for your social media are NOT the same as the newspaper. You do NOT have to fit ALL your information in one. single. square. Go with a carousel: A multi-image graphics-based post. Each “swipe for more” is an engagement that the algorithm loves. Use Canva to create your graphics with templates. Templates can be found on Canva, Creative Market, or customized with a graphic designer. Connect with Molly Sign up for the MKM Eras Bootcamp for just $77 Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram. Reach out by email: [email protected]