Hey there, listener.    I’ve shared before that I am (and always have been) a total bookworm. My favorite memories from teaching are getting kids to love reading for reading’s sake, not just for points on a quiz. There’s something about a great story that makes memories so much more vivid. I can remember exactly where I was, what I was eating, and how I felt while reading a Laura Ingalls book as a fourth grader. I can’t tell you the exact title, because memory is like that. We don’t always remember the details, but the big picture sticks. In this episode I’m sharing how to use stories to help your big picture stick with your audience by using a narrative framework as your marketing plan. Key Takeaways “It's so easy to forget the specific facts and figures of something but the compelling nature of narratives stay with us.” Psychologist Jerome Bruner’s research suggests facts are 20 times more likely to be remembered if they are part of a story. In a random group, roughly 40% of people are auditory learners, 40% respond best to visuals, and 20% learn by doing. Stories help each of these types of learners create a mental picture to view in their mind’s eye. Book recommendation: Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller There are five elements to a story that our marketing needs as well: Exposition (Introducing your team and location), rising action (sharing problems your product or service could solve), climax (advocating for your product or service), falling action (sharing next steps), and resolution (showing the transformative power of your product or service). “Features or specifics can be forgotten, but story sticks.” Frame your business’s best or worst moments into the context of a story and bring them into a narrative structure. Choose the right medium like a visual on Instagram, a long-form blog post, or a newsletter series.  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]

Welcome back, listener. In this week’s episode of the Found podcast I’m sharing a tale of two vacations. Both are very memorable but only one for good reasons. When Ryan and I went to Texas, that was literally our only plan. Go to Texas. We wanted to be fun and spontaneous but we ended up being absorbed in choosing our next stop or where we would sleep that night. We didn’t have the shackles of a schedule, but we didn’t have support either.   For our South Dakota family vacation, we learned a little. Your girl is still NOT going to have a spreadsheet itinerary, but we at least booked our stays in advance. We listed the landmarks we were excited to see and had a rough idea on which days each event would happen. THAT vacation is remembered for the good things.   I share my vacation examples to illustrate a helpful marketing strategy: Begin with the end in mind. Key Takeaways Don’t miss the Re-Find mini episode series If you feel lost in the marketing noise you are not alone. According to this survey, the average American sees between 4,000-10,000 ads each day: Double the rate of 2007 and five times the rate of the 1970s! “In order to cut through the noise, your best bet is to make sure that wherever people encounter you, the most effective thing you can do is have cohesiveness.” For your customer: Begin with the end in mind. Illustrate the end goal that your product or service can help your client achieve. Paint the destination super clearly. Offer a scenic route or an interstate highway with turn-by-turn directions.  Avoid just listing products and services. Instead include them in an overall marketing message that illustrates the final goal. Create marketing that is aligned, cohesive, and moves people down the path to work with you. If you are seeking a scenic route for marketing help, check out the MKM shop at mollyknuthmedia.com/shop.  Personalized marketing strategy is my JAM! If you would like the highway route of 1:1 support, email me at [email protected] Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

  Happy September, listener! I’ve read that September is the new New Year and I agree. As a mom we’re getting back into the routine of life and there is a natural reflection that happens. In this first podcast of September I’m reflecting back on my business “failures” and sharing the lessons I took from them. I can’t help myself. My human design profile lines are a 3, have to try things out for myself, and a 5, have to show people what I learned. But that doesn’t make it easy. Failure (or what I have perceived as failure in the past) is my biggest fear. I’ve learned a lot over the last few years and hope you’ll find some takeaways in this vulnerable solocast. Key Takeaways It’s taken some time for me to be able to talk about my business “failures” from a non-emotional, neutral space, but I’m giving it a try. In this podcast I’m recounting my three biggest failures and what I learned from them. Failure One: Big News in June 2022 (4 min) In June 2022 I had a whole podcast sharing my big news of my realized goal of purchasing an old historic property downtown. Demo was great, but as the time came for making decisions I was totally frozen. Saboteur Assessment (8 min) My saboteur type is avoidance, and avoid I did. I knew in August that this building wasn’t right for me but I didn’t admit it until winter. Finally in March I met someone with big dreams and a vision for the building. Passing the building on felt right, even though I was ashamed to let go of such a publicly shared goal. “People’s businesses pivot. And actually, a sign of a business that has longevity and has stood the test of time, they aren’t the same business 5, 7, 15, 20 years down the road that they were when then started out.” (13 min) “You set out to save a historic building. You may not have been the person to see it through the whole process, but you still held that building and made sure it went to someone who would care about it. So you did in fact satisfy what you set out to do” - My friend Kara of the BC Barnburner (16 min) Failure Two: Business Finances (18 min) My business grew faster than the systems I had (or didn’t have) in place could sustain. I waited way too long to seek help. I’m so grateful for Sheila Hansen and the changes she helped me make. We put so many systems in place, like billing for the month ahead with ACH, but she also made me examine my money mindset.  She didn’t just do it for me; she coached me through. (25 min) Failure Three: Trying to Out-Hustle (31 min) I thought I could just “Do one more thing” to try to outrun the problems I had with my business administration systems. “There is no way you can outrun the systematic and structural deficiencies of a business by adding more to your plate.” (32 min) “Be clear on your end result but be flexible on the path that gets you there.” (40 min) P.S. This month marks the 3-year anniversary of the pod! It’s taken on some changes over that time, like all good things do, but I’m so grateful for your support. Thanks for listening! Connect  Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Hey there, listener! It’s so good to “see” you again! I know I’ve technically been here all summer, but, in full disclosure, I batch recorded the summer episode way back in April. It’s been a great summer and I’m excited to finally be back at the mic. I kept this episode quick to ease my way back in and to really emphasize something I learned this last year or so - the secret sauce to getting found. Key Takeaways A lot of social media content creating (that yes, I have contributed to!) is competitive. Look at me! I’m important! Look what I have! It’s time to listen: Get clear on who you are and your values and then start listening. 2022 was my first year without a vision board and it showed. I felt untethered and started things just for the sake of starting them. Getting focused in 2023 has helped me have a more successful year. There is so much content already out there! People feel pulled and stretched in so many ways. Try viewing social media as your flag in the sand where people know where to find you. Reverse the structure of social media. Be listeners first and content creators second. Have you ever had a fabulous offer and heard crickets when you released it? Reverse the structure and be a listener first, content creator second. How did you get your following in the first place? How did you make those people feel heard and valued? Make intentional time to listen but following other accounts, joining groups, or putting a question box in your stories. “Not just prioritizing us getting found, but finding other people online.” Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Friends, you will LOVE today’s episode with Ruthie Sterrett. We had so much fun and I know it will come through the speakers. Join me as I totally nerd out on all things marketing for small business. I have so much respect for how Ruthie can break down big concepts and make them easily digestible and actionable. This podcast episode is full of takeaways for you to apply TODAY to get not just views, but a real impact. Key Takeaways Ruthie is the face behind The Consistency Corner, a content management and marketing strategy agency for businesses. She offers done for you and done with you marketing plans, courses, and guidance. Ruthie loved her career in retail but needed more flexibility with a growing family. She was able to replace her corporate income in just three months, but had spent the previous 18 months laying the groundwork for that transition. It is SO important to narrow in on your ideal customer and keep them in mind. Stick to your brand’s and your personal WHY. Books Ruthie recommends: Onward by Howard Schultz and Marketing Made Simple by Donald Miller “The customer is always right, but not everyone is your ideal customer” Ruthie’s success equation: (Time + Consistency + Intensity you can maintain) x Belief = Result. If something’s not working, brush up on your algebra skills and work backwards from this equation.  “Social Media is not a marketing strategy just like a coffee cup isn’t coffee. It’s a container for your coffee. Social media is a container for your content, which is part of your marketing strategy.” “Pick the platforms that you can show up on consistently over time, and really hone in on those as your needle-movers” Attract, nurture, convert: One piece of content cannot do all three One BIG takeaway from today: Check out Ruthie’s gift to listeners of a holiday content planner with six weeks of content prompts! Connect with Ruthie Connect with Ruthie on Instagram personally or through her business. Catch her podcast, The Consistency Corner, and find links to all these and more on her website. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

My friends, today you are in for a TREAT with today’s guest. Amanda Walker of The Best Damn Coach podcast and program is so fun and brings the ENERGY. She is so great at taking hard to understand concepts and making them clear, concise, and actionable. In this episode we talk about goals, mindset, and reverse engineering outcomes.  Key Takeaways Amanda is a Certified Master Coach and became a coach for the first time as a 15-year-old to pee-wee basketball boys. She went on to become a high school teacher and coach, Level 1 Crossfit Coach, Precision Nutrition Coach, Certified Master Life Coach, and NLP and hypnotherapy practioner. Whew!  Amanda left teaching after ten years and not feeling tapped in to her full potential. She now coaches coaches to get the best possible results for their clients. Teaching taught Amanda to reverse engineer results, something she brings to coaching today: “What is that outcome that I desire and how can I break that down into smaller steps so that I get there in the end?” How are teachers different than coaches? Teachers give step-by-step instructions but might not help with implementation and planning. Coaches help understand implementation and accountability. “Mindset and the internal work is about 75% of the equation and the other remaining part is strategy.”  Amanda says to get clear where you want to go, even in the first year, and then thing and act like that future person.  Books Amanda recommends: Big Leap by Gay Hendricks and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer Episode Sponsors If you are considering outsourcing bookkeeping or financial services, and intensive day with Sheila Hansen, CPA is THE way to get started. Learn more on Sheila’s website on the services tab. (P.S. Sheila has been a guest on the podcast before!) I literally cried happy tears the first time I used Flodesk for my email list. Not only was it BY FAR the easiest platform I had tried, my emails were beautiful and matched my branding! Use my link for 50% off Flodesk. Connect with Amanda Amanda is offering a free masterclass, sign up here. Connect with Amanda on Instagram or Facebook and find more information about working with her on her website. Amanda is the host of The Best Damn Coach podcast. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Hey there, listener. Welcome to another episode of the Found podcast, and it’s going to be a good one! I’m pleased to bring you Carrie Cohen of Carrie Cohen coaching. Her educational background and lived experiences from a practicing psychotherapist to owning her own business are perfect for this audience of female business owners.   Our interview focused on the very basics of coaching and therapy, but since we pressed record, Carrie has specialized her services even further to helping married couples and those navigating the struggles of infertility. I know this will be an impactful interview with actionable takeaways for all our listeners. Key Takeaways If you need a fairy godmother for your small business, please meet mine. Megan Knapp provides the virtual assisting services I need to keep my entire business organized. She’s now accepting new clients, so reach out at [email protected]. I love having my own business except, well, the business side of things. Payroll, taxes, and billing stresses me out. Gusto takes care of all of that for me. It saves for taxes, automatically files, and reports on my behalf. Get a $100 gift card when you sign up with my link. Carrie’s career started after grad school in 1999. She enjoyed clinical work and worked in agencies, foster care, administration, and then in private practice. I love Carrie’s analogy of not putting beautiful new flooring over a wet, moldy subfloor. It’s important to deal with our underlying issues for our best future. In 2015, Carrie was grappling with the sustainability of her work. She started to realize she was maxed out from a business standpoint. Covid became a silver lining that forced her to reconsider how she was doing business and provided space from obligations to reexamine her life. Carrie recognized her purpose of bringing women together globally. She became certified in nutrition coaching and health coaching. Although she loved clinical practice, it felt stifling for her outgoing personality. Carrie says 80% of serotonin is created in the gut, one example of why she believes a more holistic approach is necessary. She incorporates nutrition and polyvagal theory into her work. “You need some really powerful intervening force that’s actually more potent than the hustling experience.” Carrie uses the visual of a ladder to explain the different steps of polyvagal theory. “Burnout is living in a chronic state of sympathetic activation.” “Most of the things we do to regulate ourselves are things we all do anyway, the difference here is using it intentionally and using it deliberately.” “There’s one pie and it depends on how many slices there are, but there is only one pie and you have to take from somewhere.” “Life is actually really hard and really painful. We need to create the experience of having pleasure, and joy, and interest, and excitement, and passion. Otherwise it won’t come. We’ll just be doing the thing.” Carrie encourages female business owners to reach out and seek help from a coach or therapist. She says so many people feel like a big weight has been lifted in just the first session when few strategies have even been implemented yet. The solution to shame is to expose it. It’s important to discuss what is holding you back with a professional. Connect with Carrie I have GOT to learn more about polyvagal theory because it makes so much sense. Carrie offers an introduction to nervous system regulation you can access here. She uses LinkedIn most often and shares some of that content on Instagram. 

Listener, if you haven’t heard of Dirt Road Candle Co, let me do the absolute honor of introducing you! Michelle Myers is a friend, small business mastermind buddy, and the woman behind the ONLY candle brand I have in my house.  In this episode we chat about Michelle’s background and future in agriculture and her journey from making candles in her kitchen to building an amazing, authentic brand. Key Takeaways If you need a fairy godmother for your small business, please meet mine. Megan Knapp provides the virtual assisting services I need to keep my entire business organized. She’s now accepting new clients, so reach out at [email protected]. Listener, I used a debit card for my business purchases for so long. I heard some buzz about cash back rewards, did some of my own research, and landed on the Capital One Spark Business Card. I love to build my credit and earn money back on purchases I would make anyway. You need to make the best financial decisions for YOUR business, but if you’re looking for a great credit card for your small business, learn more here. Michelle has been on the pod before in my small business besties episode. I first started following Michelle on Instagram after her episode on the Rural Revival podcast. Michelle lives in rural Southwest Iowa on her fifth generation family farm. She currently lives in the home she was raised in! Michelle started making candles with a thrifted double boiler in her own kitchen. When candles took over her whole home (literally!) she built a combination candle shed/farm office.  Michelles candles started as a hobby but became popular gifts, so she opened an Etsy shop. Her early years were tough. Michelle commuted 50 minutes each way for her full time corporate job and would come home to pack orders. She said she kept her blinders on and focused on her goal. It made that crazy season doable.  Michelle is mostly self taught. She gets stuff done and encourages people to not over-research.  Community is so important to Michelle’s success, especially as a product based business. Getting started in wholesale was a challenge initially. She says to remember that “no” can mean “just not right now.” She now sells online retail and wholesale and through Faire, an online wholesale marketplace (aka “Etsy for wholesale”). Michelle’s brand is totally her. She really is just sharing her life. She loves and uses her products and adds to her line as a need arises. Her car freshies started when her friend’s daughter cried when she couldn’t bring her candle in the car!  Michelle is educating others about agriculture through her farm tours and open houses. Her fall open house is this August 4th and 5th. Connect with Michelle Michelle’s branding is on. point. Shop at her website or follow her across the socials at @dirtroadcandleco (Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok) Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

This episode was recorded on the LAST day of school for my four kiddos. The next week we started our first summer with no formal childcare since I started my business.   I love my flexible hours, but honestly, I have flexed them a little too broadly in the past. I’m determined to really be present with my family and soak up this magical summer. That calls for some careful strategy to make sure my business continues to flourish without me. I’m sharing my plan in this week’s podcast. Key Takeaways Resources: This episode is best via video, linked here. Follow along in your printable workbook, and access the presentation here. I’m booking eight sessions only with business owners looking to strategically plan and market their business in a short amount of time. Your Power Hour package includes a personal audit of your current strategies, three months of content mapped out, and 10 days of Voxer access. Book yours here.  I love having my own business except, well, the business side of things. Payroll, taxes, and billing stresses me out. Gusto takes care of all of that for me. It saves for taxes, automatically files, and reports on my behalf. Get a $100 gift card when you sign up with my link. Clarity: Set a timer and sit with a stack of sticky notes. What do you most want to accomplish this summer?  Cataloging: Ask yourself what you already have that is doing well. How can you make things last a little longer? Reduce, reuse, and recycle your content. You don’t have to constantly create. Check your insights to see what content has done well, when, and why. Create: Amp up your energy and bring your best self to social. Choose a format that fits your goals, and batch content for efficiency. Convert: Why do you use social media in your business? What goals are you accomplishing with it? Make sure your content has a clear call to action. Be sure that your social media strategy is serving your goals. Your time this summer is precious, so don’t waste it on things that aren’t converting. Be a real person on social media. People can tell when you are just checking a box. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.      

If the THOUGHT of legalese brings on hives, this is the episode for you. Sarah Waldbuesser of Destination Legal is passionate about helping coaches and entrepreneurs achieve their dreams in a smart and protected way. This episode is packed with the legal advice every business needs. You’ll want to bookmark this one for sure. Key Takeaways Sarah is an advocate for good contracts. She says they’re even more important than getting an LLC or insurance. No matter the size or location of your business, contracts build boundaries and set expectations. Remember your website needs a privacy policy, disclaimer, terms of service, and terms of purchase. Destination Legal has different contract templates for different industries. Life coaching has different liability than fitness and nutrition, for example. If you’re confused about what services you may need, check out Sarah’s starter bundles. You can build as you grow. When to trademark? Sarah says to do the gut check: How would you feel if you received a cease and desist for your signature program? If it would totally rock your business you need to trademark. Should you get an LLC or S Corp? S Corps are for corporations. You can always start with an LLC and move up to an S Corp in the future. The FIRST legal help you need is a contract, LLC comes next. Don’t let the LLC stop you from getting started, but a contract is a must. Here is a link to Sarah’s free legal checklist for coaches. Connect with Sarah Find Sarah on Instagram, Facebook, and on her business website Destination Legal. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Listener, today you are in for a treat.    In this episode I sit down with Jada Dobesh of Selah Space in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jada was recommended to me by a friend who said I would be BLOWN AWAY (in a good way). Let me tell you, I was.    Our time together FLEW by and I learned so much in our time together. I know you’ll find something here that connects with you. Key Takeaways Content Confident subscription from MKM: More efficient, less stressful, plug and play social media strategy It’s hard to fit Jada’s job description into a single sentence: She’s a spiritual healing facilitator, certified Reiki practitioner, and has a psychology background. She practices at the intersection of three main topics: Spirituality, sexuality, and self-worth. Our society has taught us those three things are not meant to go together, but Jada is helping us unlearn that.  As a child of divorced parents, Jada wanted to be a Marriage and Family Therapist. As an undergrad she changed her major to youth ministry. She graduated, got married, and started her career in a single week! Selah is a Hebrew word with no good translation, but means “Stop and think about what the lyrics just said.” Jada worked with a spiritual guide and a therapist and noticed she could talk about her sex life with one and her spirituality with another. She knew women would benefit from someone who could help with both. As a youth minister Jada loved working with the moms most. Moms are still her favorite people to work with, especially those for whom everything is “technically fine.” We discuss how we can be addicted to busyness and chaos and what that models for our children. “Oh my gosh, how do I not destroy my kids?” Jada offers the program Menstrual Mystics to help us REALLY understand our cycle. She gives a quick breakdown in our episode but ladies, LOOK THIS UP! Jada’s socials are linked at the bottom of these notes. Our cycle starts with the first day of your last “period” but there are several periods to a cycle. The Follicular phase mirrors spring and we are flirty, young, and have so many ideas. It’s best to not execute on these ideas, but take lots of notes! Ovulation is 3-5 days and is like the full moon of summer. This is the time to communicate, network, interview, and batch content. We are at our BEST. Luteal is our fall. If you struggle with reproductive health, these are the days when you feel it the most.  Menstrual phase is what we commonly refer to as our period, and it’s time to REST. This is not when we are irrational, it is when we are done with BS and (rightfully!) mad at the world.  Jada carefully considers habits that affect hormones. She recommends eating within an hour of waking up, limiting exercise to 30 minutes for most women, and avoiding caffeine during your menstrual period. Lunch is a great time to exercise to prevent an afternoon slump. This interview left me craving more information. Check out Jada’s offerings here. I especially love the description for Soul Illume: “You’re supposed to take up space, to live your spirit-led life by listening closely to your intuition and honoring its call.” I love her response to the saying that you can’t pour from and empty cup. She says she prefers the analogy of a champagne fountain where everyone can be served at once. I literally cried happy tears the first time I used Flodesk for my email list. Not only was it BY FAR the easiest platform I had tried, my emails were beautiful and matched my branding! Use my link for 50% off Flodesk. Connect with Jada Check out her offerings on her website or connect with Jada on Instagram.    

Hey there, reader!  Happy small business week! (And teacher appreciation… and nurse appreciation..) What a travesty that all of these incredible people have to share a single week! This week on the Found podcast we are focusing on you, the small business owner. Or you the entrepreneur. Which is which? Can you be both? This solocast breaks it down. Key Takeaways If you, like me, identify as a creative, you might love the doing and creating in your business but maybe aren’t as confident in making money decisions. My friend, Sheila Hansen CPA, is my secret weapon and is booking a limited number of Intensive Days in 2023. If you are considering outsourcing bookkeeping or financial services, this is THE way to get started. I have worked with Sheila in many capacities but especially valued our intensive day together back in October 2021. Learn more on Sheila’s website on the services tab. (P.S. Sheila has been a guest on the podcast before!) I used to use the terms “small business owner” and “entrepreneur” interchangeably: “There isn’t a better, there is only a different, and that is okay.” To describe the difference in the two titles I’m referencing an oldie-but-goodie 10-year-old article from Entrepreneur magazine. “Small business owners have a great idea, while entrepreneurs have big ideas.” Small business owners add their own flavor to a blueprint that is already in place, while entrepreneurs think bigger and take more risk and chance. Small business owners have a dependable, repeatable process with margin for profit, and with time and consistency that business will keep them employed and in the mix of the business dealings. Entrepreneurs like profit too but will often answer the little voice that says “what if we try it this way instead.” Small business owners are part of the day-to-day and have a direct hands-on role in making sure everything is completed. Entrepreneurs is thinking out far ahead and depending on a team to carry the weight of day-to-day tasks. Small business owners are sentimental with their business while entrepreneurs are focused on scaling and selling. A healthy economy needs both entrepreneurs and small business owners. Your own business sometimes needs you to be a mix of both. I started MKM as an entrepreneur when social media marketing wasn’t a thing yet. I moved into the headspace of a small business owner to secure a dependable income and profit for my business. Now I’m enjoying a flow back to a more entrepreneurial mindset and enjoying the ride. I literally cried happy tears the first time I used Flodesk for my email list. Not only was it BY FAR the easiest platform I had tried, my emails were beautiful and matched my branding! Use my link for 50% off Flodesk. Connect  Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Welcome to another episode of the Found podcast! I’m excited to bring you someone I met years ago in a mastermind for revitalizing small towns and have since come to consider a friend and one of the smartest people I know. Kara Hammes loves to travel, puts family first, and is an amazing planner and organizer. Professionally, she welcomes guests from all over the country to her multiuse rental property, the Brown County Barn Burner. Key Takeaways We always link contact info at the end of these notes, but seriously, go check out the Brown County Barn Burner’s website right. now. It is a must for understanding this amazing property! Kara and her husband designed and built the Brown County Barn Burner in the south central Indiana town of Nashville. The area is known for its beautiful parks. The property includes an event space, four short-term rental apartments, and a commercial space leased to a bike shop. Kara is a big fan of the financial independence movement and used her “FU money” to take a step back from an unenjoyable career.  As avid travelers with family and friends, they noticed a gap in the market for large group accommodations in Brown County. They very intentionally designed their space to be the perfect space for vacationing groups. Kara relates to the saying “needing a vacation after the vacation” and works hard to make their rental space the most accommodating place possible. She wants everyone in their groups, especially the organizing-minded moms, to enjoy their stay and really relax. Kara always walks through a space before the guests arrive and tries to anticipate any needs that may arise. She says it’s a good weekend if her guests don’t need her at all. The decor throughout their spaces is just amazing. Kara very carefully thrifted and sourced each item. Obviously, there is a cost savings to used pieces when furnishing four apartments at once. But she also wants to have a cozy feel of nothing being too precious for the guests to enjoy. “Everything is one of a kind but nothing is irreplaceable.” Financial Independence Followup After the interview Kara contacted me with her favorite personal finance resources. Money with Katie and her accompanying podcast JL Collins’s stock series, starting with this blog post, or their book A good overview of financial independence and getting started on Mr. Money Mustache (Kara says Pete is a little more hardcore than other resources!) Connect with Kara You haven’t checked their website yet? Go there now! Connect with Kara on Instagram. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook. Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Welcome, listener to this edition of the Found podcast.  In this episode I’m recapping the talk I gave at the University of Northern Iowa’s Women In Business Organization’s Young Women in Leadership conference. I’m sharing many memories today but an important one is attending a “What is a business major” workshop as an undecided freshman at UNI. As soon as they said I’d have to take macro- and microeconomics I was like, “Peace out!” I was so grateful to be asked back. My talk was for young high school women from all over the state to give a small business entrepreneurial voice to their conference. My freshman business-no-thanks self wouldn’t believe where I am today, and that’s okay. It’s okay to change. Key Takeaways Yes, there is a Spotify playlist. Leadership for me has never been big or grand, it was often leading in small ways and listening to that small voice that wondered “What if?” All I Want Is You: When the lead on my junior high dance team was injured I had to take the front position with little warning. It wasn’t a big deal, it was just a job that needed to be done.  “I can lead others by leading myself” Yellow: Leadership camp at UNI was such an impactful experience for me. Over the course of a week we learned so much and met so many new friends. There were literal tears when our parents picked up. Jeopardy: I was given the coveted role of FFA Sweetheart as a high school senior which came with the “honor” of providing treats for the 100+ members at each of the remaining meetings for the year. My departing speech was unconventional, but all in good fun. Just because something has always been done one way doesn’t mean it has to stay that way forever. You Can’t Always Get What You Want: I was devastated to not get the scholarship I needed to attend my first pick college. This song played on the radio at work after I got the hard news.  Fancy Like Applebees: Laugh all you want, but Applebees was THE hoppin’ place to work in Cedar Falls. I wanted to be a waitress, and I wanted to work at the busiest restaurant in town. Food service taught me SO many people skills. I was able to lead in this position by training others (Which came with a whopping $5 per hour wage AND a free meal!). Reading Rainbow: As a new teacher I struggled with students cramming easy books for easy quiz points. I wanted them to love reading for reading sake. I put out a call on this new thing called Instagram and Facebook for classroom books and collected 500 by the end of the semester! This taught me that rallying people around a cause can help achieve growth. Mama Says: It’s okay to change. I became a stay at home mom. Yes, I was a passionate educator, but changing my career doesn’t change the passion I put in to that career. “I thought this for a long time but now I learned differently, learned better, and so I’m going to move in that better path.” Video Killed the Radio Star: “The story of how I creatively avoided cold call fundraising with my mad video skillz.” But seriously, I was involved in a capital campaign for a childcare center in our community. When the time came for cold call donations I just. could. not. We made a video campaign showing how the current center just wasn’t working and sharing our vision for the future. It was a huge success! Bo$$: I started my own business that absolutely could have stayed one-to-one service-based forever. Instead, I used all the lessons from all of my leadership roles before to now lead a team of people. A secret to my success is that I didn’t keep secrets. I offered free weekly trainings to help small businesses understand more about social media marketing. “Leadership isn’t just putting yourself up on a pedestal. Turn around, see who’s walking behind you, and give them a hand, so they can do it faster, better, and more efficiently than you did.”   “The best leaders are not the ones who keep all the secrets to themselves, they’re the ones who help others elevate too.” Change (Taylor’s Version): Change starts with the question: How can we do this differently? As I focus on my words of 2023, Profit and Pruning, I’m asking that of myself. You’ll notice some changes coming to the podcast as I prune back to just two episodes per month until August, alternating a solocast with a guest interview. I’ve also let go of pursuing a physical storefront in my hometown after I got honest about my long term goals. Connect  Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Listeners, you are in for a treat with today’s guest on the Found podcast. Karoline Rose Bohannan is a multipassionate entreprenuer and rancher in Montana. Her mission is to provide space and resources for cattlewomen and people in agriculture to ensure that operations continue for generations to come.  Get your pen (or, in Karoline’s case, a pencil!) and paper because her business mind had me floored. You can tell a few times in the recording that I am totally tongue tied by her creative ideas! Key Takeaways Karoline comes from an agriculture-income family in Montana. Health challenges made college at Kansas State difficult, so she moved home and completed an animal science degree at Montana State. When it came time to accept a job, she realized she needed to work for herself. She wanted to work hard, just not for someone else, so she started selling cattle under her own company. Her first summer after college was rough, but she had a break selling cattle through social media in just seven minutes. Eventually seed stock companies approached her and she now does full service marketing. Karoline has three main branches of business: Full service marketing and design through KRose Company, education through Cattlemen U, and Rancher’s Daughter, a farm to table resale store. As an Enneagram 8, Karoline is a challenger and loves a fast pace. Being busy for 8 hours is not the same as working for 8 hours. Do the hard hard work. “It takes on average 21 times for someone to see your work before they exchange money with you” Sales is different from marketing. If you are getting rave reviews from your clients but business is down, it is time to seek out more clients. More people need to know who you are and what you sell. Karoline is active in her community with belly up marketing: Volunteering and being involved where people can see you in person and shake your hand. EOS (Entrepreneurship Operating System) has been a game changer. Karoline is eager to learn and seeks input from her team. She says if you have integrity and are hungry you will do well. She is always going back to core values. Coming soon: Karoline is launching a personal brand and planner. Connect with Karoline Find Karoline’s personal brand on Instagram which has links to each of her business branches.

There are just not enough Tuesdays in March to showcase all of the kickass female business owners I wish I could. This week’s episode features SIX of my business besties. We have been on a Voxer group chat together since the beginning of 2022 and I am so grateful to have the support of these women in my life. I know you’ll love them too.   Meet the Badass Midwest Business Babes (We don’t have a formal name, so that’s what I’m going with today!) Lindsy Trotter of Chilled Freezer Meals in Center Point Iowa. She’s been in business five years and sends freezer meals all across the country (and just up the road to Cascade!) Sheila Hansen of Sheila Hansen CPA who has been helping female business owners understand their numbers and make confident business decisions for seven years. Erika Hermsen of Sweat Inspire Sisterhood, an online fitness and nutrition community set to open its first brick-and-mortar this year. Marissa Hoffman, co-owner of The Midwest Girl, a shop with THE BEST apparel and goods with Midwest appeal. Maddie Peschong, a personal brand photographer, coach, and host of the Take It Personally podcast. She also rents out studio space to Souix Falls, South Dakota photographers through White Space Studio. Michelle Myers who creates all the good smells for her company Dirt Road Candle Co. Connect Connect with each of my business besties through the links above. Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Hey listener! This week on the Found podcast I’m so fortunate to sit down with Whitney Kinne and discuss all things fulfillment, intention, and purpose. You know I’m all about that, but Whitney still fills the episode with fresh ideas and advice. She and her husband, Shane, coach professionals on finding the perfect role for them based on their values. She is just a wealth of information and I know you’ll get a lot out of this professional who truly cares. Key Takeaways Whitney did our interview from her baby nursery (like, the one she was actually a baby in) turned home office. Her career pivot from higher education to coaching came from a desire to return to her rural roots and live in alignment with her values. She and her husband, Shane, coach individuals and lead team trainings to help people reach harmony between work and family. “Show some leadership:” What started as ordering her own ice cream as a four-year-old became a mantra for Whitney to have courage. She says everyone is a leadership isn’t always a big bold move, and little ripples can have big effects. Whitney encourages everyone to evaluate where they can lead: “Where can I have influence and where can I have leadership in the teams or family that I’m a part of?” “Moms are like a thermostat in the home” The first step of coaching with Whitney is asking: What works? What isn’t working? What matters to you? Whitney doesn’t just list values, she identifies actions that demonstrate that value. She checks in on her actions regularly. Whitney loves working with her husband and appreciates their message coming from a male perspective. Audiences respond well to a man sharing his values of living life with purpose which is a message usually shared by women.  Whitney says it’s important to establish a routine for checking in with a coach.  “Don’t mistake movement for progress”: Whitney cautions to evaluation if your actions are truly serving your larger goals. What is your first tactical step? Get on LinkedIn if you aren’t already, and use something other than your current job title in your bio line. Reach out to Whitney and Shane for coaching using the contact information linked. Connect with Whitney Connect with Whitney on LinkedIn, follow on Instagram, and learn more about coaching on her website. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Hey listener! This episode has me FIRED UP and my typical Key Takeaways format for podcast notes won’t do it justice. Check out my blog for a full breakdown of this statistics-heavy episode. Sources include: More than a million women have left the workforce. The Fed needs to consider them as it defines ‘full employment’ (Fortune) Women in the Workplace 2022 (McKinsey & Company) ‘It’s a huge concern’: Senior-level women are calling it quits after decades climbing the career ladder (CNBC) Child care providers can be hard to find and costly in Iowa. Here’s what you need to know (Des Moines Register) Women in Iowa 2022 (The Iowa Department of Human Rights’ Office on the Status of Women) Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook. Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Oh man, listener, you are in for a treat. I’m so delighted to welcome Emily Reuschel on the podcast today. Emily focuses on habits, change, and the seasonality of life. I so appreciate that she is open to honestly discuss the struggles and downs of life, especially with her focus on rural women.  I’m so proud to give this episode to the world. It’s a message I needed and is filled with such hope. Key Takeaways Emily grew up in a small community near St. Louis, studied education, and worked for a time as a teacher. She now lives in rural West Central Illinois with her family on her husband’s family farm. Emily’s mission is to bring together rockstar women from small towns and help them get clear on what they actually want with tools, habits, and a support system.  “If we want cool stuff to happen in our small towns someone has to stand up and do something different that’s never been done before.” Emily loved teaching and surprised herself by leaving just two weeks before the start of a new school year. She worked as a program director at the YMCA and is so grateful for the experiences she had there. She found herself feeling burned out and had a sense of outgrowing the opportunities available to her and she set out on her own health journey. “I am a girl mom now and I need to figure out what it looks like to love myself into feeling better than I feel.” As part of her health journey Emily put together a Facebook group of family and friends to focus on habits. That grew into You Do You 82, her habit support community. Based on her own personal habits, she went from a non-runner to completing a half marathon in six months. “You don’t always have to be reaching for more, just reach for intention” “A lot of times we look at more as accumulating accolades or accumulating material things or accumulating accomplishments and knowing that you’re made for more is really like knowing you’re made for more than just showing up and being a passenger in your life” Emily has been open about her mental health journey after she had a feeling of being surrounded by goodness but cracking from the inside out. She sought therapy and is honest about the hard work that comes with unpacking past traumas. “There is going to be lightness and goodness and freedom in digging in to the other side of this crap and getting on the other side.” “If we are the generation that’s asking ‘am I feeling fulfilled’ I think we are also the generation that says it’s ok to get help when you know you need it” Books we mention The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan Untamed by Glennon Doyle Connect with Emily Emily offers her You Do You 82 community for free. She has a podcast, Gather in Growth. Learn more about Emily and her retreats on her website and follow her on Instagram (her stories are so good!)

Hey there, listener! I’m sure you have heard that you can either spend time or money, and I’m focusing on that sentiment today. Time is your most precious commodity and in this week’s quick solocast I’m sharing what I do to buy back time in my business. Invest in education (programs, courses, workshops) You can save time by learning from a program or course rather than learning everything yourself. In my early days I invested in The Social Media Marketer Society for a year and found it to be very helpful for that state of business. I loved Allie Reeves’s Hashtag Like A Boss training. It was just 90 minutes but PACKED with value. I did NOT love an email marketing workshop course I signed up for. I ignored the weird tingles and red flags. Don’t do what I did! Implement systems and softwares in the backend of your business Set up as many systems as you can to prevent having to make decisions or lose time finding documents and communication. I share some systems for how we get this podcast to your ears and how we work with our Done For You clients Software my team uses: Clickup, Slack, Dubsado Invest in people Have other people get you where you want to go quicker Shoutout to my AMAZING virtual assistant Megan! She specializes in admin tasks in is such an amazing part of my team. Virtual assistants can be generalists or specialize depending on your needs. Definitely do a vibe check before bringing someone on board! Speaking of VAs, they are so helpful and are a great resource when a full employee isn’t a good fit yet. Consider outsourcing to a specialized contractor like a coach. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Hello listener! I’m so pumped to bring you THE Jillian Murphy to discuss all things sales and business. Like all of her free content, this podcast is packed with value and encouragement.   Jillian brings 20 years of sales experience to online businesses through mentorship and educational materials. She’s killin’ it with just three years in business for herself and prides herself on amazing results for her clients too. Key Takeaways Jillian considered herself a corporate “ride or die” and absolutely loved the career she built from entry level. She was devastated by job loss in 2020 but immediately picked herself up and started her own business.  Eight weeks prior to her layoff she attended a Mastermind with Chris & Lori Harder. She turned to a business coach they suggested and started applying her sales experience to mentoring. Jillian recommends staying with one coach and staying laser focused. “Every time you start over, you are literally starting over” Jillian recommends an open cart/closed cart sales strategy. Open cart closed cart “When you are always available there’s no sense of urgency to buy” Jillian has been burned by shiny object syndrome. A poor business coach experience led her to scrutinize business coaches more carefully. She says to ask if the wins they are sharing are from clients, or is it always all about them? She says “A ton of my clients make more than me,” and she couldn’t be happier. Jillian has an amazing social media presence. She wants to be top of mind at all times and achieves that with daily value-packed posting. She points out that if people are winning with her free content, imagine what they could win by working together! How does she come up with all of the ideas for content? She is constantly adding to her notes app questions she gets throughout the day from clients, masterminds, or in podcast interviews. Those questions become content. Jill encourages us to USE social media instead of just scrolling: “This is the power of being social on social media”   Connect with Jillian You will love all that Jillian has to share on Instagram. Follow her links to learn more about her Facebook groups and current offers. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook. Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.  

Hey listener! Thanks for joining me on the Found podcast this week. I know it’s February already, but I still think it’s a good time to reset. I feel like I spent all of January inundated with everyone else’s ideas of how to start the year. Now that we made it through the first month, I’m ready to consider what I want Q1 to look like for my clients and me. This episode will focus on marketing trends I’m leaning in to this year.  Key Takeaways “Social media marketing, when done correctly with intention for personal brands, puts you in the driver’s seat and you can compete with big names.” You don’t need to have a huge following for a huge impact and successful business. Link to podcast episode with Nicole Kerns of Hillhouse Diaries “The reason social media was founded in the first place and really took off was that it connected people.” Clients demand more now. They expect the convenience that big brands offer along with a personal element. Social media is not just trending, it is necessary. Gone is perfect, polished, and precise. The most effective ads you have interacted with you might not have realized were ads. You don’t have to do it all, pick the platform that matches your vibe and meshes well with your business. I’ve been harping on this for years, but now more than ever: “People are the cornerstone of social media and marketing for 2023” Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook. Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Hey, listener. I just love this week’s guest, and if you don’t already, you will after this episode. Nicole Kerns is a small town Iowa mom known for her DIYs shared with hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers. She seemed so approachable that I got the guts to DM her and invite her on the show. I’m so thrilled to have her, and yes, she is exactly as awesome as she seems on social media.  Key Takeaways Nicole Kerns is a small town Iowa mom of three and self-taught DIYer. She has a mega following, deservedly so, through Hill House Diaries on Instagram and TikTok. Nicole was looking to bring back her identity after years as a stay-at-home mom. She was familiar with Instagram as a consumer but a friend encouraged her to dive in to content creating. She made the goal to inspire others to “just go for it” even if they were scared or nervous. Nicole encourages people to dive in, get messy, and try. Don’t wait for the step-by-step tutorial to get something done perfectly, because everything is fixable. From both a strategy and community building standpoint, Nicole says (and I agree!) that followers especially like the not-so-polished stuff. In Social Media 2.0 people are invested. “Day in the life” story series have been very popular for Nicole. Nicole works with a manager and virtual assistant. She says she’s willing to hire someone to help than “have a phone constantly in front of my face.” But she reminds us she didn’t have the help to start, and it’s something you can work towards. Connect with Nicole Find Nicole and links to all her socials on her website. She likes Instagram best and has recently started TikTok. Connect with Molly Find me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook. Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.  

Hi Listener!   If you’ve been around here awhile you have caught on that I’m not always straight laced and professional. I was getting ready to speak once and had to describe my target audience. The best I came up with was like, a teenager business, you know? You can’t be a little baby business, you have to know some things.  This totally clicked and was such a great way to describe those growing pains we all experience in business.   Today’s podcast is just me sharing the stages of business with this child development analogy. I hope it helps you to be kind to yourself and find support for whatever stage you find yourself in. It’s not super in-depth, just a loose framework, but I think you’ll see yourself in one of these stages. Key Takeaways Baby Business These are those survival years! It’s time to learn the very basics. If you’ve seen a baby learn to walk, you know they’re going to fall flat on their face a few times. But they pick themselves up and keep trying! I spent a long time in the baby stage as an accidental, even reluctant, entrepreneur. I had a lot of time to play and try new things. I was able to learn from my mistakes and try new things. My journey seeking supplemental income is going to look a lot different from someone seeking startup funding or already working with a team! If you can’t spend too much time learning from mistakes, consider getting a coach on board to guide you through. Teenage Business “Okay, I have all of these things that equip me but who am I really? What is the identity that I want to hold?” You are a little more established and confident and it’s time to make big life decisions. You’re finding boundaries and pushing limits. Young Adults This is me: “I’ve tested things. I’ve broken a lot of shit.” I’ve learned that I can’t stay out all night without paying for it the next day. There are consequences for my actions and I have to do some un-fun stuff too. According to LendingTree.com, 18.4% of private sector businesses fail in the first year, 49.7% after five years, and 65.5% after 10.  It’s ok if businesses grow and change! Maybe they took a “gap year” or retrained for a new career. Growth keeps happening. Think of businesses you admire: They all went through tough phases too, we just might not have been paying attention. Connect with Molly Reach out to me, Molly Knuth, on Instagram and Facebook if your young business could use some caregiving (aka mentoring!) through those younger years.  Follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.    

Hey listener! I can’t wait for you to fall in love with today’s guest, Jill Carr. I knew she’d be a fast friend when we first connected on Instagram (with a voice memo, of course! A girl after my own heart!) After our first zoom call I knew I couldn’t keep her to myself and had to invite her on the podcast.  Key Takeaways: Jill Carr helps rural women extend their voice with podcasting. She offers a variety of services to launch, manage, and grow podcasts. Jill lives with her family on a ranch in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Before launching her own company she discovered podcasts on her 40-minute commute. She became a virtual assistant in 2018 and focused in on podcasting in the last year. Coach Kiah was a VA client and became Jill’s first podcast. Jill was hooked! In 2021 she went all in on niching down into podcasting. Jill discusses the challenges of being a mom-treprenuer. She originally became her own boss to have more time with family, but realized it was easy to overextend herself. She learned better boundary setting. Jill says to always remember your “why” by revisiting it every day. It’s important to have boundaries and systems. Jill shares three big reasons to consider podcasting. It’s so accessible and is always where your audience is. You can take it along with whatever else has to be done like mowing the yard or doing dishes. Connection is the biggest piece of podcasting. You can network with guests, share your voice, and position yourself as an expert. It is so great for building community. Jill says podcasting is the best long-form content tool. You can repurpose content with reels, email newsletters, and blog posts.  Jill mentions Emily Reuschel of the Gather in Growth podcast Why bother podcasting when there are millions already out there? Jill says the numbers are deceiving: Only 53% of podcasts produced more than three episodes, 12% have released a new episode in the last quarter, and only 7% in the last month. This leaves fewer than 300,000 “competitors” but remember non all podcasts are for your ideal listener anyway. It’s fun to begin but episodes 10-20 are hard! Stick with it and dig in for the long haul. Invest in technical help if you need to. Connect with Jill Find Jill on her website or connect on Instagram Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.  

Hey listeners! This interview has been a bear to schedule but was SO worth it! We finally got our time zones aligned for Kylie Kelly to join us on The Found Podcast.   Kylie is a business coach specializing in helping moms have the maternity leave they want and maintaining a healthy balance after baby. Hosting a virtual summit helped build her social media community from scratch, and now she helps others do the same. Key Takeaways You’ll figure out quickly that Kylie is from Australia. Although Australia offers better maternity leave than the United States, where most of Kylie’s clients are from, moms trying to balance career and kids is a struggle everywhere. Kylie is mom to two boys and had wildly different maternity leave experiences with each. She wants to prevent women from experiencing a leave like her first, and plan a leave on their own terms. Kylie loved her second maternity leave and returned to work feeling ready. Kylie worked as a wedding photographer before 2020 when Covid caused her clients to cancel. She reexamined what she wanted in a career and felt a tug toward helping moms, especially entrepreneurs, plan for their maternity leaves. Kylie started with an Instagram following that was completely related to her wedding photography. She built community quickly by hosting a virtual summit for expecting mothers. Her first summit had 350 attendees! For her next summit, Kylie had 500 attendees. She had 42 speakers over five days and limited them to 10-15 prerecorded minutes. Having sessions rerecorded allowed Kylie to love on attendees and build community.  Kylie’s social media strategy is to focus LESS on strategy. She pours most of her energy into her podcast, which she loves for its worldwide connection. She loves to send direct messages and voice memos on Instagram. She feels much more fulfilled and has seen better results by focusing on relationships. Kylie is offering access to a free podcast series to build your social media audience. You can find her podcast This Mama Means Business on Spotify. Connect with Kylie Find Kylie’s website at KylieKelly.com or connect on Instagram. Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Hey everybody! I’m so excited for the first episode of the new year!   The 365 days ahead of us lay out like an open book. How do we do this life ahead of us? Are you, like me, visualizing what could be?   This episode focuses in on what we can be doing now to nuture our best year yet as entrepreneurs. 2022 was a great year for me, but had a lot of internal struggle. I’m excited to start 2023 in a more intentional place and I hope this episode helps you join me. Key Takeaways I prefer intentionality over goal setting. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, says for some, the goal setting process becomes empty when the goal is achieved. Life really begins after the goal. I had a six-figure year, and, newsflash, I didn’t fundamentally change. “What really changes us is who we are being in the process of attaining that goal.” I’m focusing on how I want to feel as I go through my year instead of external goals. “How do we want that success to feel along the way?”  I like to ask myself “What would future Molly do?” In a guided meditation with Kelly Brock of Peaceful Performer I had a clear vision of the Me of 2023. I was so peaceful and totally present in the moment! I’m working on making that vision a reality. Identify and record how I feel. Write it down and solidify it. I need to audit my life to identify things that give me more of that feeling and get me closer to that woman I visualized. “If I want things to be different, then I need to be different.” I need to give myself grace, margin, and LOTS of reminders. I’m remembering that baby steps are ok! All the best, and blessings in the new year! Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Hey Listener- can you believe we reached the final episode of the year? It’s a solocast after a fall chock full of interviews with amazing female guests.   I hope you enjoyed the interviews as much as I have! I hope you enjoy this episode too. I’m recapping the year: The wins, the challenges, and proposals for a new metric to evaluate our year… In ways OTHER than wins and challenges. The Wins I checked a big item off my 100 goals list: I bought a building! When I first started MKM I knew my mission was to highlight small towns and give businesses a voice. This milestone was a way to “put my money where my mouth is” and invest in my small town. (Link to the episode about the building) I became a six figure business owner! There’s a big difference between revenue and profitability, but this is still a huge win and personal goal of mine. I redefined the brand and focused in on my why (Link to Mariah Danielson episode). “Some Years give you questions. Other years give you answers.” Zora Neale Hurston I took a master class with Melanie Ann Layer and adopted some practices like slow mornings and taking time to enjoy the flexibility I built into my business. Challenges Keeping my vision was a challenge and I really struggled with big existensial questions this year. I only had two hair cut/color appointments this year. Ha! My hair isn’t important here, it’s that I hustled too hard much of the time and lost sight time for my self, friends, and family.  Profitability was a challenge. Inflation kicked everyone’s butt this year, and it, among other things, was hard on my business too. Things contributing to growth I worked on developing my leadership skills I looked for places where I can be proactive instead of “living my life as a response” I embraced my status as a “teenager business” after my VIP intensive with Sheila Hansen. New metrics for reflecting on our year When did I feel stupid happy? When did I feel at peace? When did I fulfill my calling (or, when did I think, “Holy shit, this is why I do what I do”) What was a moment of clarity? A moment you knew you needed to change something? A moment you realized time is fleeting? A moment you realized you are in charge of yourself? A moment you realized just how frickin’ lucky you are?  A great book? A great movie? (Or Netflix series, shout out to Bridgerton!) A great friendship started this year? A project you finished and were so proud of? Best and worst purchases? Best and worst courses? Big mistakes made? Big moves made? Best workout? That big brave thing you thought you wouldn’t do?   We made it! I hope you find peace and rest this holiday season and wish you a very happy new year! Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Listeners, I’m so pumped for this week’s podcast guest.   If you’re a long time listener of the show, or at least for the last year, you know that I feel so strongly about energy work. I had the opportunity to cross paths with Erin McGuire at the Empower Her Summit this year and knew I had to share her with this audience. Erin is a coach and energy healer through her business Pure Light Healing. And if you’re not sure what that means, join me for an enlightening episode. Key Takeaways First things first. What is an energy healer? “I free people to be who they really are because trauma makes you out of survival- it makes you live out not out of who your true self is.” Erin emphasizes the importance of listening to your subconscious.  Erin says her younger self would “never in a million years” believe her life path, but that her life was changed by awakening to her inner sensitivity. Erin says that “yoga was her gateway drug” into the life of healing she leads today. She earned her yoga certification in 2010 and is a reiki master, reiki master teacher, and life coach. After studying theta brainwave healing for a few years, Erin reached a point where she just couldn’t keep it to herself anymore. She started casually helping people and eventually built it into her career. Erin suffered from depression, anxiety, and chronic fatigue, but did not find help in typical therapies. Doing deep conscious work, shadow work, and inner child healing brought her healing. A helpful visual: Erin says your subconscious is like a hoarder house, filled with old patterns and belief systems you’ve picked up in life. We might not even be aware of what we are holding onto that could be holding us back. Erin shares the connection between our thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and actions. Why are you procrastinating? How were you feeling that led you to procrastinate? What thought drove that feeling?  On manifestation, Erin says “Simply, just, we create what we think about.” And, "You will get more of whatever you focus on” Mentions The book Eat, Pray, Love Holistic Psychologist Nervous System Reset Program The book The Body Keeps The Score Connect with Erin Erin shares most frequently on Instagram and is also on Facebook and TikTok. Find her website at Pure Light Wellness.    

  Hey there, listener. Join me while I sit back and super fan over today’s podcast guest, Whitney Sullivan. At one point I stop and suggest I pay her for a therapy session because she is just that good! We also geek out over our shared interest in (obsession with?) enneagram types and Ted Lasso.   Whitney is a motivational speaker and leadership coach based out of Bozeman, Montana. She has a great personal story as a small business owner and has great advice to share. Whitney is a wealth of knowledge and a gift to us listening. Key Takeaways Whitney is a motivational speaker and leadership coach who focuses on topics of connection, purpose, and resilience. She loves coaching new leaders. She is also a certified life coach, enneagram coach, and spin instructor. Whitney spent ten years in higher education and saw herself spending her career there. But the pandemic and changes to her job caused burnout and left her looking for a change. Whitney has been in business for herself for about a year, after an 18-month process of making the switch. “Sometimes it looks like people are making these changes and they just happen overnight but so many things happen behind the scenes before you see the results of those changes.” Leaders are important: “70% of employee engagement is based solely on the manager”  Whitney reminds leaders to Celebrate. Thank. Praise. “People want to be cared about” A mistake leaders make is not delegating and taking on too many tasks. “We’re here to lead action, not take action” People want to be useful and hoarding opportunities can be harmful. Team members see “I can help you all because that’s strength but I can’t accept help so that’s weakness” Resources Closing the Confidence Gap by Kelli Thompson (Whitney’s sister!) Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown Five to Thrive by Enneagram Type Connect with Whitney Follow Whitney on Instagram. Schedule a discovery call and learn more about her services on her website. Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Hey there, listener!  This week on the podcast we have Brooke Happe of B. Happe Designs (like “Happy.” What a perfect name!) I’ve followed her for a long time and am a big fan of her hats and RV lifestyle. When I finally got to work with her this year I knew she HAD to be a podcast guest. Brooke’s story is so cool. How often do you meet product-based business owners who travel the United States in an RV while homeschooling their three children? Brooke manages this while staying committed to her mission of giving back. I’m so excited to have Brooke share her story and way of life. Key Takeaways Brooke is behind Be Happe Designs, a lifestyle brand known for amazing hats, a mission of giving, and RV life inspiration. She is also a homeschooling mom to three children. Brooke left practice as a Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2016 to stay home with her young children. She picked up crochet to keep her hands strong and was “hooked.”  She received many compliments on her slouchy hats and friends encouraged her to sell them. She did local markets and always donated one hat for each hat sold. After a health crisis with her son in 2018, Brooke learned that many of the toys and supplies for child life at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines were donated. To keep up with demand of her hats, and to give back in a way that was meaningful to her family, she started donating a portion of profits to the hospital. She still does this today. Brooke pitched the idea to sell everything and travel. The flexibility of her husband’s work (even pre-pandemic) meant they could live anywhere near an airport. After a 26-day trip to Florida to test the waters, they knew this was the life for them. They’re still traveling full time three years later. Brooke loves how RV living has modeled for her kids to follow their dreams and think outside of the box. Her once-shy kids now make friends easily.  Brooke says their unique lifestyle brings some challenges, but overall brings the family together and allows them to pick what brings them joy. She regularly shares great tips for overcoming the challenges and embracing the positives on her blog. Connect with Brooke Follow Brooke on Instagram. Find her amazing hats and blog through her website. Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Hey there, listener! I’m so giddy and literally fan-girling over this week’s guest, Laurel Smith of Laurel Denise.    Laurel started her creative business back in the “dinosaur days” before social media. Guys. She literally had to CODE A WEBSITE. (That stuff just boggles my brain!) Her business has had to make many pivots over the years, and she takes us through that journey in today’s podcast.   We had good intentions of talking marketing, but ended up having a great chat about self doubt, learning in real time, and embracing change. This one is going to need a part two! Key Takeaways Laurel started her business, Laurel Denise, in 2005. While unhappily working as an investment banking assistant, she had a dream of making jewelry. She became obsessed and worked to make her dream a reality. We chat about how 2005 was a different time: Blogging was new, social media wasn’t a thing, and websites meant CODING! There weren’t examples of creative business owners like we see today. Laurel worked nights and weekends on her jewelry business and used her vacation days for trade shows. She quit her day job in 2008 to pursue jewelry making full time. It took Laurel having a team of eight people to accept that she was a “real” business owner. “There are these mental blocks that we have, these mindset shifts that we have to make in order to get to what our next level is” Laurel enjoyed making planners but felt like she had to choose, and she chose jewelry. Her business took off “in Covid times” when people were looking for encouraging, inspirational gifts. The busyness of her business made Laurel crave her planner, and she started printing them again. I (Molly) love her planners. She says she makes it for her and how her brain works, but plenty of people must agree! Her planner really took off in 2020: “If we sold out of this when no one had plans… What?!” Switching from jewelry to planners was “a torturous decision” but led to new opportunities… and challenges. Laurel shares how shortages and supply chain issues devastated her and how she showed up authentically for her customers. It was a great learning experience for her. “I’m not playing around with this planner thing anymore and if I’m going to be a planner and a paper goods business, how does that business run? What production schedule are they on? So that this literally never happens again.” She’s already designing 2024 covers! Connect with Laurel Laurel’s Instagram is such a delight, I love “Pattie the Planner Girl!” She has a website and private Facebook group as well. Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

I started this year knowing a change or shift was coming. I found myself overcommitting by starting self-help books and courses that I haven’t finished, thinking maybe THIS is the shift. I’m closing out the year feeling uneasy with all of these open loops.   My message to myself and my listeners is this: Close those loops. Imagine the loop of a roller coaster (even though I don’t like roller coasters!). We are going up, approaching the most exciting part that’s a little scary. If we get off right then, we never experience that excitement or the resolution that comes afterwards.    If you are like me, you have several open loops and lots of unresolved fear and excitement. Join me in taking time to close those loops and close out the year in a more peaceful place.     We’re doing things a little different at The Found Podcast this week of Thanksgiving 2022. Each day this week, I will be delivering a new mini podcast straight to iTunes or Spotify to give you a short burst of inspiration in what we’re calling Exponential Growth Week. For the next 5 days you’ll get a 10-20 minute episode with immediately actionable tips that you can apply to your social media, marketing strategy, energy, 2023 planning and more.   The purpose of this week is to ground us as business owners and entrepreneurs to evaluate where we’re feeling good about our businesses and where we may need to make some adjustments in this season of business and Social Media 2.0.   To help us prepare for the new year, I’m leading a masterclass on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 11 AM CST inside a private Facebook Group so we can break down the elements and energetics you need to know for Social Media Marketing 2.0. We’re calling it Marketing Must-Haves Masterclass, and you can go to Mollyknuthmedia.com/masterclass to request to join the Facebook group and get all the details as we get closer to the training date.   Exponential Growth Week Episodes:   Monday, 11/21: Are You Proactive or Reactive? (Video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jQvdMjSQaU&t=7s ) Tuesday, 11/22: What is Really Working on Social Media Right Now…and Why the Answer May Surprise You (video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uP37pxmOaw&t=284s) Wednesday, 11/23: Has Social Media Marketing Gotten Harder? (Video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc2yjUypWbY) Thursday, 11/24: How to Show Up on Social Media When You Don’t Feel Like It (video version available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPR-JgzVp5A) Friday, 11/25: Close the Loops (video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10cum4CVEpo)   Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

If you don’t feel like posting, to put it simply, don’t. Your audience can feel the energy you bring to content creation, and you want to bring your best. It’s totally okay to take time to be present in your real life, or to take a break for a season.   Do what you can to care for yourself to bring yourself up to a higher energy. Rest, connect with family, journal, etc. Instead of creating content during this time, spend time interacting with similar accounts, interacting on profiles of people who follow you, responding to DMs, or sharing user generated content.    As a solopreneur, YOU are your business. Although it is stressful to manage allthethings it is important to care for yourself. You are you business’s number one asset! (And, regardless, you are an amazing person deserving of care.)     We’re doing things a little different at The Found Podcast this week of Thanksgiving 2022. Each day this week, I will be delivering a new mini podcast straight to iTunes or Spotify to give you a short burst of inspiration in what we’re calling Exponential Growth Week. For the next 5 days you’ll get a 10-20 minute episode with immediately actionable tips that you can apply to your social media, marketing strategy, energy, 2023 planning and more.   The purpose of this week is to ground us as business owners and entrepreneurs to evaluate where we’re feeling good about our businesses and where we may need to make some adjustments in this season of business and Social Media 2.0.   To help us prepare for the new year, I’m leading a masterclass on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 11 AM CST inside a private Facebook Group so we can break down the elements and energetics you need to know for Social Media Marketing 2.0. We’re calling it Marketing Must-Haves Masterclass, and you can go to Mollyknuthmedia.com/masterclass to request to join the Facebook group and get all the details as we get closer to the training date.   Exponential Growth Week Episodes:   Monday, 11/21: Are You Proactive or Reactive? (Video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jQvdMjSQaU&t=7s ) Tuesday, 11/22: What is Really Working on Social Media Right Now…and Why the Answer May Surprise You (video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uP37pxmOaw&t=284s) Wednesday, 11/23: Has Social Media Marketing Gotten Harder? (Video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc2yjUypWbY) Thursday, 11/24: How to Show Up on Social Media When You Don’t Feel Like It (video version available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPR-JgzVp5A) Friday, 11/25: Close the Loops (video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10cum4CVEpo)   Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Not necessarily harder, but definitely more complicated. Remember social media is just one element of a marketing strategy. I encourage you to consider six components.   Strategy: Have steps or a plan of what you want social media to accomplish for your business.   Content Creation:  I find a content calendar helpful in visualizing how to put my strategy into practice.   Management: Some folks like to create in real time but it’s convenient to use tools to schedule your content ahead of time.   Community is key. Consider the conversations you would have at a coffee shop or checkout counter. Bring that energy to your social media. Show that you understand there are people on the other side of the screen and not just customers.   Leverage: Use tools like ads, collaborations, giveaways, and tagging to grow your audience.   Legacy: Social media is always changing. Consider what legacy content you have to share. For a brick-and-mortar shop, using social media to direct people to shop in person is your legacy. Social media can direct people to your email list, your course, or your online shop. Focus on legacy content to weather whatever changes social media has in store.     We’re doing things a little different at The Found Podcast this week of Thanksgiving 2022. Each day this week, I will be delivering a new mini podcast straight to iTunes or Spotify to give you a short burst of inspiration in what we’re calling Exponential Growth Week. For the next 5 days you’ll get a 10-20 minute episode with immediately actionable tips that you can apply to your social media, marketing strategy, energy, 2023 planning and more.   The purpose of this week is to ground us as business owners and entrepreneurs to evaluate where we’re feeling good about our businesses and where we may need to make some adjustments in this season of business and Social Media 2.0.   To help us prepare for the new year, I’m leading a masterclass on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 11 AM CST inside a private Facebook Group so we can break down the elements and energetics you need to know for Social Media Marketing 2.0. We’re calling it Marketing Must-Haves Masterclass, and you can go to Mollyknuthmedia.com/masterclass to request to join the Facebook group and get all the details as we get closer to the training date.       Exponential Growth Week Episodes:   Monday, 11/21: Are You Proactive or Reactive? (Video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jQvdMjSQaU&t=7s ) Tuesday, 11/22: What is Really Working on Social Media Right Now…and Why the Answer May Surprise You (video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uP37pxmOaw&t=284s) Wednesday, 11/23: Has Social Media Marketing Gotten Harder? (Video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc2yjUypWbY) Thursday, 11/24: How to Show Up on Social Media When You Don’t Feel Like It (video version available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPR-JgzVp5A) Friday, 11/25: Close the Loops (video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10cum4CVEpo)   Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

I started this mini episode with a reflection of who I was as a junior in high school and how completely different I was a college freshman. I’ve grown and changed many times over, as you have too. It’s normal and GOOD to change and evolve.   Social Media is going to do that too. We need to roll with the changes as social media and digital marketing evolves into “Version 2.0.”   One thing that hasn’t changed is the people on the other side. People can see through posts just meant to sell. Next time you are creating content, consider: What does the person on the other side of the screen need? How can my business provide a better product or service for them to live a more convenient, accessible life?   Authenticity always works.   Exponential Growth Week: We’re doing things a little different at The Found Podcast this week of Thanksgiving 2022. Each day this week, I will be delivering a new mini podcast straight to iTunes or Spotify to give you a short burst of inspiration in what we’re calling Exponential Growth Week. For the next 5 days you’ll get a 10-20 minute episode with immediately actionable tips that you can apply to your social media, marketing strategy, energy, 2023 planning and more.   The purpose of this week is to ground us as business owners and entrepreneurs to evaluate where we’re feeling good about our businesses and where we may need to make some adjustments in this season of business and Social Media 2.0.   To help us prepare for the new year, I’m leading a masterclass on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 11 AM CST inside a private Facebook Group so we can break down the elements and energetics you need to know for Social Media Marketing 2.0. We’re calling it Marketing Must-Haves Masterclass, and you can go to Mollyknuthmedia.com/masterclass to request to join the Facebook group and get all the details as we get closer to the training date.   Exponential Growth Week Episodes:   Monday, 11/21: Are You Proactive or Reactive? (Video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jQvdMjSQaU&t=7s ) Tuesday, 11/22: What is Really Working on Social Media Right Now…and Why the Answer May Surprise You (video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uP37pxmOaw&t=284s) Wednesday, 11/23: Has Social Media Marketing Gotten Harder? (Video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc2yjUypWbY) Thursday, 11/24: How to Show Up on Social Media When You Don’t Feel Like It (video version available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPR-JgzVp5A) Friday, 11/25: Close the Loops (video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10cum4CVEpo)   Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

I was recently in a masterclass with Melanie Ann Layer and she made a statement that has really stuck with me.   “In the beginning, before I made this transition in my life and my business, I realized I was navigating my life as a response.”   We are business owners because we are leaders in our own unique way. Then our lives become a hamster wheel hustle, moving from day to day and task to task. Think about that leader inside you. What do they want to do? What do they want to initiate?   Take time to reflect on whether you are living your life as a response. Consider ways that you can initiate and lead instead.   Exponential Growth Week: We’re doing things a little different at The Found Podcast this week of Thanksgiving 2022. Each day this week, I will be delivering a new mini podcast straight to iTunes or Spotify to give you a short burst of inspiration in what we’re calling Exponential Growth Week. For the next 5 days you’ll get a 10-20 minute episode with immediately actionable tips that you can apply to your social media, marketing strategy, energy, 2023 planning and more.   The purpose of this week is to ground us as business owners and entrepreneurs to evaluate where we’re feeling good about our businesses and where we may need to make some adjustments in this season of business and Social Media 2.0.   To help us prepare for the new year, I’m leading a masterclass on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 11 AM CST inside a private Facebook Group so we can break down the elements and energetics you need to know for Social Media Marketing 2.0. We’re calling it Marketing Must-Haves Masterclass, and you can go to Mollyknuthmedia.com/masterclass to request to join the Facebook group and get all the details as we get closer to the training date.   Exponential Growth Week Episodes: Monday, 11/21: Are You Proactive or Reactive? (Video version available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jQvdMjSQaU&t=7s ) Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook. Or follow Molly Knuth Media on Facebook and Instagram.

Welcome to our FIRST second-time-appearance guest episode! This one is super special because Andrea Mausser was my first ever guest back in 2020 when this was the Small Minded podcast. We’ve both grown so much in those two short years, so it is cool to catch up!   Andrea Mausser is a mindset and transformational coach through her business Choose Your Journey. It is her first year to be full-time self-employed, and I am so impressed by the success she is finding when she practices what she teaches.    She’s so inspiring to me personally, and I know our listeners will agree. No notebook and notes for this one, just sit back and receive what Andrea is sharing today! Key Takeaways Andrea is a certified Life and Health Coach through the Healthcoach Institute and launched her business, Choose Your Journey, in April 2020. (What a time, right?) She left her corporate career in January of this year to devote her career fully to coaching. Andrea describes her work as “Teaching adults how they are actually unconsciously placing blocks on what they want to be experiencing.” How many of us can related to Andrea’s description of the average career? “How much can I be on this hamster wheel and still feel like I’ve not lost it” Andrea and I both like to choose a word of the year, and Andrea’s for 2022 was “Alignment.” Mindset matters: “What you think about you bring about” Focus on experiences over outcomes: “It’s not about the doing, it’s who I was becoming in the journey” Andrea helps us visualize our inner struggles as the ego and the higher self. The ego’s job is to keep us safe and in our comfort zone but the higher self is abundant and willing to do what’s best in the long term, even if it’s really scary right now. It’s hard to slow down! Especially as entrepreneurs we feel like we have to work hard and HUSTLE to be successful. Andrea emphasizes the importance of rest and being open to receiving and attracting. THIS dilemma: We women often go into working for ourselves for the time freedom but can easily be overtaken with urgency and drive. Andrea reminds us to slow down and fill our days with the important things first. Working hard doesn’t always pay off financially: “If that was in fact true and the hardest workers were the most successful, made the most money, then teachers, nurses, and farmers would be the richest people here in the United States.” Andrea shared experiencing the law of compensation, being financially awarded in work that you do when it’s purposeful, with her “Pick Your Price” structure for a recent offering. Andrea encourages us to account for our energy and try to add energy giving people and experiences to our day. Andrea is offering a 4-week destress December challenge to close the year and is committed to ending the year in a relaxed space.  One more great quote: “We have this Amazon mentality we think it’s going to happen in two days. We have to let go and surrender the how, what, and where.”   Mentions Manifestation Babe Podcast with Kathrin Zenkina Melanie Ann Layer The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks (Book) Mind Your Business Podcast with James Wedmore   Connect with Andrea Follow Andrea on Instagram and Facebook. Learn more about Andrea, her offerings, and sign up for her email newsletter on her website. Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook.

Hey listener! Welcome to another episode of the Found podcast. I’m so excited to bring Mariah of Wander Design Co to the podcast. (Although, why has it taken this long!?)   Mariah and I go back a ways to when we were put together in a breakout group at the Empower Her Summit. She’s a great friend and a highly recommended Instagram follow. It MIGHT seem like I stalk her feed, but it’s just so good!    You’ll see why she’s awesome in our chat today. I’m so inspired by her Why and grateful for the wisdom, spark, and energy she shared in the episode. Key Takeaways Mariah Danielsen got her start in graphic design and has grown to offer branding, website design, mentoring for creative women, and why discover through her business Wander Design Co Mariah studied graphic design and marketing and worked her way up to leading a graphic design team for a company. Meanwhile, she started blogging about vintage and indie weddings, which lead to exposure on bigger blogs and speaking engagements. She got a sinking feeling that corporate wasn’t where she wanted to be and quit to pursue her own interests ten years ago. She was doing graphic design, blogging, offering vintage wedding rentals, wedding planning, and running an antique shop when she had her second child and realized it was A LOT. She narrowed her focus back to graphic design. “Everything builds on top of each other and the more you can make these conscious decisions in the right direction, there’s no telling what your life can end up becoming.” Mariah had the opportunity to travel to New York to attend Marie Forleo’s B School in 2011. She met Simon Sinek and learned about Start With Why. Marie Forleo B-School Simon Sinek Ted Talks The Golden Circle on YouTube What is our Why? This is our purpose and how we operate at our natural best. What are we striving for? How do we want to impact other? Your Why statement is your overarching theme for life. “If you could wake up and be the absolute best version of yourself, what contribution would you make to the world and what impact would it have on other people in the best way possible” “Your why is only as strong as you can share it with others” “It’s a waste to spend your time working on projects that drain you and are going to put you in a bad mood for your family when you get home, or if you feel like you have to work on the weekend so you can finish this project that you don’t enjoy anyway, it’s just not worth it.” Mariah says setting long term goals is more difficult now, but it’s due to her confidence in her Why: “I know I am on a path and as long as I can build other people up so they can confidently put themselves forward, I’m happy.” Mariah’s is a big fan of the Showit design tool for Wordpress sites (me too!) and recently had her work published in their anthology, Spark. Connect with Mariah You’ve got to follow Mariah on Instagram. You can learn more about services on her website. Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook.

Hey listeners! Welcome back, especially to those of you with service-based businesses. In this podcast I share strategies for packaging and pricing your offers.   Ugh. Did your stomach drop? Pricing can be a vulnerable topic, and I’ve shared my discomfort about money conversations in the past. I’m happy to be much more confident now, and excited to share my answers to this common question. Key Takeaways This topic is taken from my Business Bootcamp module. Find out more about Business Bootcamp at MollyKnuthMedia.com/shop I have a distinct memory of deciding what to charge for what I could do with who needs it. I felt raw, nervous, and too big for my britches. My pricing was based on an hourly rate for what I expected my package to entail. My britches weren’t sustainable! After awhile it was necessary to update my pricing to reflect my expertise and efficiency. Consider opportunity cost when pricing. Time you are spending with a client is time you’re NOT doing anything else. Same for the client. Time they are getting by hiring you is time they can be doing anything else that could make them more money. Ask yourself how much time you are saving the client. What do they do to earn the money to pay you? What do others in your industry charge? Avoid the comparison game, but it is a nice general guideline. Resist the urge to be driven by fear, scarcity, and powerlessness. Build an offer suite with your middle-of-the-road flagship offer, at least one upgrade, and at least one more affordable option. You’re the boss! You get to decide! There are not rules. You make the rules. Think about quality, not quantity of offers. Like… Louis Vuitton, not Dollar Tree. Your pricing should be as unique as you are!   P.S. My episode with Sheila Hansen on Money Mindset is so valuable if this is a topic you struggle with! Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook.

Hey there and welcome to this week’s episode of The Found Podcast! Today I’m chatting with my longtime social media friend and recent real-life friend, Maddie Peschong.   Maddie is a photographer turned brand photographer and coach. She’s just so sweet and authentic which really comes through in this week’s interview. Her advice is simple and straightforward, and she shares strategies you can apply today to uplevel your own personal brand.    So let’s dig in to this interview! Key Takeaways Maddie has been a photographer for ten years and changed her focus to branding exclusively in the last 18 months. She summarizes her business to say she takes the photos that help people grow. Maddie has an interesting career path that has followed her big energy. She studied journalism in college and worked for some big brands before returning to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She worked at a marketing agency while building her photography business up to full time. She loves when clients look behind the camera and see a whole new version of themselves.  Ironically, Maddie says brand photography isn’t for everyone. The daily things you do to connect are important too! Maddie says choosing between how you show up online for yourself and what your audience needs from you is a Venn Diagram. You need to be in the intersection of both. Personal branding allows business owners to change their minds: “Personal branding is based on people and people change.” Maddie discusses her Three Rs: Reputation, Rapport, and Relationships. Her new group coaching program, Rebrand, focuses on these essential elements of a strong personal brand. Two things you can do for your personal brand today: Take some time to imagine and journal your ideal business. A little simpler: Give Instagram stories a try. Maddie mentions Suzy Holman and the podcast Normal Gossip as some personal brands she likes to follow. Connect with Maddie  Learn more about Maddie on her website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram. And listen in to her own podcast: Take It Personally on iTunes or Spotify. Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook.

Hey friends and welcome back to the Found podcast! I’m still lovin’ the rebrand and hope you are too!   Today I’m talking about a newer concept, and even if you haven’t heard of the exact term, you know what it is.   Thought leadership. Think about who you go to, whether in person or virtually, when you need someone to teach you something or give advice. Those people are thought leaders in their community. And you may not realize it yet, but I believe we are all leaders in our own way. P.S. with the podcast rebranding I’m feeling a little more myself so my barn mouth might slip an f bomb. Key Takeaways I attended a Hannah Nievess Consulting masterclass to work towards my goal of becoming a thought leader. “Thought leadership is what differentiates you from all of the people who do what is you do.” Position yourself to get found by your ideal audience “Be THE go to in your industry not just AN option I found the Why Discovery workshop by Miranda Danielson of Wander Design Co to be so helpful in establishing my touch tree. No matter where we pivot we can always ground ourselves in our why. My why is “Helping women in small towns rewrite and redefine what it means to live and work here.” Steps To Becoming a Thought Leader Find your why and deep goal. Very specifically define who you most want to help though products and services. Break down your specific tactics, approach, and perspectives that utilize you best. Think about those things you love that are common to you, but that other people might not know. For example, I LOVE Flodesk for my email list marketing and management. Get a little meta about your day to day and document it Create content that shares with your ideal audience. At this moment in October 2022 swipeable storytelling carousels in Instagram are performing well. See my Samantha American Girl post or the story about shaving off my eyebrows (and not for the first time).   “Our products and services won’t always reach our ideal audience at a time that works best for them to enroll or buy. But. When we present them with unique perspectives or a memorable story or fascinating results, we will be at the top of their mind for the time is right for them to make that purchase or make that investment.” Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook.

This week’s episode of the newly rebranded pod features my exceptional new friend, Ingela Onstad. Ingela is a high performance coach who helps professionals work through mindset issues to show up as their best selves in the public eye.    She has great insights for us to reflect on how our mindset is supports our success.  Key Takeaways Ingela is an accomplished opera singer and has travelled the world performing. A divorce led her to ask the big questions about life. She had always been “that friend” who was everyone’s volunteer therapist, so she pursued it professionally. She earned her Masters in counseling and became a therapist. Ingela practiced traditional talk therapy but followed her gut to adapt her practice. Because of her active freelance career, she worked with many high performers. She transitioned into more of a future-focused coaching role.  Ingela spends a lot of time getting to know someone and understand the greater landscape of their life. She helps her clients accomplish goals and look forward to future achievements.  Therapy and coaching helps people understand that they are normal and not weird for feeling how they do.  Ingela helps her clients manage anxiety by recognizing negative self talk patterns. She’s not a fan of positive affirmations but helps her clients through journaling, routines, rituals, and accepting that it’s ok to feel uncomfortable. “Emotions are like the rainbow, we can’t wish away the colors. They’re all going to be there in some way.” Ingela references Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the human need for love and belonging. Fear of rejection is baked into our biology. We are probably familiar with fear of rejection, but many people, especially women, fear success as well. “We get caught on the tightrope of I don’t want to fail, but I also am afraid of being too big and too bold and shining too brightly.” Women are socialized to make others feel comfortable before themselves. They might have societal concerns about success, like being the breadwinner in their heterosexual relationship. Books Ingela recommends: Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware and Mindset by Carol Dweck  Coaching is important because you can gather all of the tools and strategies in the world, but nothing will happen if you are terrified of the next step. Connect with Ingela Follow Ingela on Facebook and Instagram, or contact her through her website for a consultation. Follow for More Follow me, Molly Knuth on Instagram and Facebook.

Well, what do you think?    I’m so excited to share the podcast rebranding with my beloved listeners.   Earlier this year I was struggling to set my intention or word of the year.   Which is telling in hindsight. I eventually went with shift, which has characterized this year perfectly.   Over 100 episodes and two years later, the podcast is ready for a shift. This is NOT a big 180. It’s more like a 10-degree shift. I still love small towns, small businesses, and the stories we tell. But I’m feeling much more of a pull towards female business owners and honing in on the importance of energy, effort, and balance.   In this week’s episode I’m sharing that lost feeling I felt, how I worked (and am still working) to overcome it, and practical strategies I hope you can use too.

The "call after the call" with guest Nina Gibson was so good we had to record just a little longer...plus a special secret from Molly Knuth about changes coming to the podcast!

Hey, listener.   I had the best time with my new friend Nina Gibson for this week’s podcast episode and it definitely came through in the recording. Meeting Nina on Instagram was like finding my soul sister. From a commitment to helping female entrepreneurs, to being a little “woo,” this girl speaks my language.   I love the way Nina speaks and how she is so open and sharing of herself. I think you’ll love her too! Key takeaways Nina is a “total beach bum” from Southern Maine where she lives with her family Nina has been working with SEO since 2009. She started working for herself when she became a mom in 2014.  Nina said she was running on “not even empty.” Her whole background was hustle. She was miserable with zero boundaries. Then, in 2019, after some serious burnout (including shingles!), she changed her business model to focus on small business entrepreneurs. “Are we going to remember that Mommy worked all of the time but we were able to have nice vacations?” Nina learned a lot from Holly Haynes’s mastermind (Holly on Instagram) Nina hosts the Elevated Visibility Podcast (Apple Podcasts) “SEO is the original internet hype girl” Nina has is launching her Visibility Club Membership this October “You just need a person you trust and vibe with and understand to help you do it simply” Molly 77% online users read a blog every day Keyword research and understanding is THE most valuable part of SEO Nina learned about energetics with Ash McDonald (Ash on Instagram) “Follow through bitch!” Connect with Nina Find Nina at her website or on Instagram Follow for More Follow Molly Knuth Media on Instagram and Facebook Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook

Hey everybody it’s Molly digging into marketing strategy Love long term planning aligning marketing with business goals Grab notebook and pen What you want to talk about, how, and balance it with what feels right energetically  Ho Ho ho three hoes in the house Harness energy, own strengths Hoarding content and organizing it Humanized marketing Outlining plans Ho ho ho here we go Lean into energy Pursue one of the following assessments: Personal development intertwined with business ownership Exploring who you are as a person Three tools:  Enneagram Truity Human design Jovian archive Sacred Money Archetype Denise Duffield Thomas money mindset coach denisedt instagram Talents? Shadow types? Own strengths Lean in, incorporate into marketing Part of day get lost in good flow of work “I fucking hate this” Getting in to my inbox Outsource, va, contractor Omit?  Lean in that feels right to you and clients Hoarding Don’t start from scratch or reinvent the wheel What content went well? Looked back at last year Facebook posts Personal photos and videos Be analytical so you don’t have to start from scratch Reuse and repurpose Organize Get a print out calendar How many posts? Long form content? Get main priorities Sometimes feel like post to start or blog post about whatever I want Keep priorities the priority helps organize other things around it Focus on what is the most important Document roll outs, events What do I have time for? Humanize Strategy? quantity? tactical? Focus on people Reflect Anecdotes Throwbacks Ways you feel good? Feel seen,  Deeper than surface level How can you show up as a human as social media? Outline Start with content you already have Fill gaps with new content

Listener, I am SO excited for you to hear this episode today. I cannot even believe I manifested this.   I have the privilege and honor to welcome my mentor and friend, Allie Reeves. If you follow Small Minded, Allie has probably also been on your radar because I am always sharing her posts and stories! She is truly someone who is an inspirational mentor to women.   Allie is so purpose-driven! Her mission in life is to show what women can do in business and to coach other women to find her level of success. In this episode she shares her approach to how she hit huge milestones for herself without compromise of her health and family.   She is truly an inspiration. If you haven’t heard of Allie yet, listener, prepare yourself. This episode, not kidding, is life changing. Key Takeaways Allie’s mission is to help women grow businesses they are obsessed with, especially in online spaces. Her big mission is to show that women can be and have it all, however they define it. Allie started her own social media business in 2016 because she couldn’t find a job! Her business grew quickly with great, high-paying clients. But even with hitting 10K months, she felt burnt out. Allie shifted her brand and started over from scratch to build a business teaching women how to do social media. Her brand has since grown to encompass business strategy, mindset, and life. She sold nothing in her first eight months and ended 2018 at -$5,000! But she learned, grew, and ended 2019 at + $190,000!  Even though her business was successful she started to have the same burnout feelings. She gave herself permission to try something new, trust herself, and have fun in 2021. Allie is my mentor, and she mentioned her mentor, Melanie Layer. Allie has so many words of advice! One I love is “Play to win, don’t play NOT to lose.” Allie shared her daily activating ritual: She keeps a page of her journal where she lists everything she is working toward and reads it every day. Then, daily, she writes down her gratitudes, current successes, and the challenges that are making her into the better version of her. She writes down who she is choosing to be, how she will show up, and how she will feel. 2022 has been her best year yet! She had her first six-figure month this last July! Connect with Allie Allie is most active on Instagram. She also hosts the podcast 6 Figure Influencer. Follow for More Follow Molly Knuth Media on Instagram and Facebook Follow Small-Minded on Instagram and Facebook