Check Your Aesthetic Podcast

NightCap was invented in early 2019 by then 16-year-old Shirah Benarde from West Palm Beach, Florida. The idea came to her in a dream after hearing about the horrors of drink spiking from friends who experienced it after going off to college. Fortunately, her friends were okay, but Shirah was determined to come up with a pragmatic solution to this problem to protect her and her friends when they went off to college. She also wanted to make sure the product would be something girls would feel comfortable using. The next morning, she went to her mother’s closet, grabbed a pair of pantyhose, cut them up, and attached them to a scrunchie to create the first NightCap prototype.

Unfortunately we are all familiar with it. We dread it, fear it, and are more offended by it than a 4-letter-word. What am I referring to? Why, the simple phrase “no” and a rejection of a proposed project you once felt passion for.

As business owners, service providers, creators, and individuals in the marketing and sales industry, we all face rejection. It is a part of life, and even more so a part of business. In this episode Katie and Alexis brought in Lucy Bedewi to discuss how she has faced rejection in her business and career. Although it is understandable to be disappointed by the phrase “no,” what sets you apart from the crowd is how you react and move forward.

Lucy is the copywriter behind the brand My Write Hand Woman. She specializes in writing personality-packed copy that converts for women-run businesses. She started her business straight out of college at age 21 and made 6-figures in her first full year in business. She’s the writer behind global companies, fast-growth start-ups, world-famous bakeries, 7-figure coaches, and many creative entrepreneurs. She uses the client’s brand voice and zesty humor to help companies stand out online, create a fun brand presence, and scale much faster.

We have all been at that uncomfortable spot; you know what you want something to look like, but you don’t have the ability or skill to bring it to fruition. Whether you are an artist, creator, or business owner, you know that uneasy feeling. You can recognize what the goal is, but at the moment you are unable to attain that goal.

In this episode, Katie and Alexis sat down to tackle the concept of “The Gap” between your taste and your skill. “The Gap,” was coined by radio host Ira Glass. Regarding the idea he noted: “everybody I know who does interesting creative work went through a phase of years where with their good taste, they could tell what they were doing wasn’t as good as they wanted it to be… it didn’t have that special thing they wanted it to have… Everybody goes through that phase… and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work.” Alexis and Katie went through their own experiences with battling their taste vs their skills, and provided a few helpful tips on how to grow past this struggle. If you have been feeling uneasy while developing your craft, feeling as though you aren’t quite living up to your own creative standards, then this is the episode for you!

How are you being perceived by potential employers, clients, or customers? A more important question may be; how is this affecting your career and/or business?

To answer these questions and provide some insight on how to put yourself and your business’s best foot forward, we brought in marketing professional, Emily McMahon. Emily is a Junior Partner and VP of Marketing & Branding at Scout Digital, a performance creative agency. Emily came to Scout after a decade of experience in entrepreneurship, marketing, and business development for multiple companies. She is passionate about supporting Vermont and New England's entrepreneurial ecosystem by bringing together young professionals, transformative business ideas, and a highly supportive community.

In this episode Katie and Alexis asked for Emily’s advice on targeting your ideal client, marketing yourself as a trustworthy business owner, and how to stand out in the job market. Emily provided great perspectives on how to be someone who people want to work with and how to find jobs with companies that you actually want to work for. If you are looking to reevaluate and reinvent how you stand in the marketplace, then this is the episode for you!

It’s easy to get on LinkedIn and click a few auto-response buttons congratulating your old lab partner from sophomore year biology on his new job or your college roommate on her promotion. But have you thought about how you could be utilizing LinkedIn to your business’s advantage? Could you possibly be missing out on how LinkedIn could help you generate leads, grow sales, and make impactful connections?

This week on the Check Your Aesthetic Podcast, we brought on Linkedin agency owner and coach, Lindsay Mitrosilis, to discuss everything LinkedIn for business. Lindsay specializes in LinkedIn for business owners, helping them navigate the platform for lead generation, sales, brand awareness, and driving top talent to your business.

In this episode Katie and Alexis asked Lindsay for her top, actionable tips for how business owners, service providers, and creators can utilize LinkedIn to their advantage and start being more intentional with what they share on the platform. They discussed repurposing and optimizing content, how to be purposeful with your time on LinkedIn, and how to get started on a strong LinkedIn business strategy. No matter what type of business you are in, there is a place for you on LinkedIn. So if you are listening either as a LinkedIn pro or as a novice, if you run a business - this episode is for you!

As a business owner, probably the most important perspective for you to consider is your client’s. How a customer will experience your service or product has a direct impact on how your business will succeed. This is why we brought on client journey expert, Devin Lee.

Devin, an entrepreneur since the age of 27, is a self-proclaimed “fun big sis for your biz”. Officially, she is a Certified Online Business Manager and Certified Dubsado Specialist. She specializes in helping you get your time and energy back by perfecting your clients’ journey and putting it on autopilot. Unofficially, she is the high-energy hype woman who’ll bring a calm oasis to your business.

In this episode Katie, Alexis, and Devin discussed how a perfected client experience can change the way your client perceives you and your business, what onboarding and offboarding should look like, and good ways to maintain a healthy working relationship with clients. If you have been itching to uplevel your service or product experience, then this is the episode for you!

When you decide to go into business for yourself, you (hopefully) knowingly accept the territories that come with that choice. You expect lifestyle changes such as small business taxes, client management, and constantly recording your every move in the means of creating social media content. However - did you expect it to affect your love life as well??

In this episode of the Check Your Aesthetic Podcast, Katie and Alexis give their perspective on dating, managing romantic relationships, and communicating with friends and family, all as creative entrepreneurs. From communication to setting boundaries, they discuss the highs and lows. If you have wondered how your business may play a part in the relationships in your life - then this is the episode for you!

Do you have an idea for an innovative business but are afraid to step outside your comfort zone? This week’s guest, Leda Akyuz, knows exactly that feeling. Founder of Woof and Wonder, a colorful lifestyle brand for dogs and their owners, started her business after years of corporate life.

In this episode Katie, Alexis, and Leda discussed finding your passion later in life and what that can mean for your career and entrepreneurial endeavors. After a decade of corporate life, Leda decided to finally take that scary first step towards building her business. She now runs her business full time and is here to tell you why it is important not to give up on yourself and your dreams.

Have you ever tried sitting down to set goals for your business (or personal life), and immediately become overwhelmed and anxious to the point where you just walk away and avoid the practice altogether? We here at the Check Your Aesthetic Podcast are very familiar with this cycle. And that is exactly why we had copywriter and email marketer Karsen Murray on to talk about her favorite way of setting and tracking goals within her business.

Karsen is a professional copywriter who specializes in ethical, strategic website, sales pages, and email marketing copywriting. Through her signature Copy Week services and marketing courses, Karsen helps small business owners increase their income and impact online.

Karsen's In this episode Katie Campbell and Alexis Aldrich sat down with Karsen Murray to discuss everything: goal setting, mindset, tracking and evaluating progress, and what to do in the situation that you do not meet your goals. Karsen had a lot of realistic, actionable tips for getting your business on the right track for 2023. If you have been hoping to achieve a large goal in the new year but don’t know where to start; this is the episode for you!

Okay so we’ve covered how to market yourself and your business on social media. But what about offline?? I know it’s hard to conceptualize life off of social media, but it does exist (crazy, I know)! In today’s episode we are diving deep into how to market off of social media in order to cover all bases and not put all your eggs into 1-2 social platform baskets.

In order to cover this topic, we brought in Holly Haynes, the owner and founder of Holly Marie Haynes and Co, as well as the Crush the Rush Planner Company. Holly discusses on her platform best practices for marketing in alternative ways. If you have been struggling with finding new ways to advertise your business, then this is the episode for you!

If you are anywhere in the marketing, content creation, or influencer world, then you most likely have heard the term “UGC” in the past few months. UGC, or user generated content has actually been around for quite some time, but it seems that as of late brands are finally catching on to the usefulness of this strategy and finding how beneficial and helpful relatable content can be for their business.

This brings us to this week’s guest, Abigail Peugh. Abigail is a UGC content creator and coach who specializes in teaching creatives how to monetize their unique passions and skill-set! She’s worked alongside other creative business owners for years as a right-hand woman, and in 2021 finally went all in as her OWN boss. A massive slay.

In this episode Katie and Alexis talked to Abigail all about UGC; what the difference between being a “traditional” influencer is from being a UGC creator, how to pitch to brands, and how to market yourself. If you are anywhere in the marketing world (whether you are getting into influencing, starting a UGC business, or own your own business that may need some help with video content), this episode is a must listen!

Happy New Year! Cheers to 2023 and new opportunities to slay in your business, content, career, marketing, and just overall. In this week’s episode Katie and Alexis sat down to discuss their goals for the new year and what they hope to accomplish. They covered both personal and business goals, with the largest theme being consistency. Listen along and set your goals with the CYA goals to set this year off on the right foot!

Happy end of the year! We are coming to the end of 2022 and that means the last episode of CYA until 2023. In this episode Katie and Alexis sit down to discuss the past year: the highs and the lows. The girls have an open conversation about how they remind themselves of their accomplishments and set realistic goals for the new year. We hope you take the next five weeks to catch up on missed episodes, work in the back end of your business, set systems in place, but most importantly: spend time with your friends and family. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Here’s to 2023!

Video-based content is the way of the future. There is no way around it, especially in the marketing world. But for a small business owner, freelancer, or influencer just starting out, exposing yourself to video can be really intimidating.

This is exactly why Katie and Alexis brought in video content expert, Natasha from Shine With Natasha. Natasha is a social media manager turned Instagram educator, speaker, podcaster, mentor, and coach. She focuses on helping businesses and creators grow with video content in order to help them feel more confident and confident in their work.

In this episode topics such as the importance of video in marketing, balancing video and static posts, and sustainability during slow or low energy periods were covered. If you have been anxious to get started with video or are looking for some inspiration, this is the episode for you!

You know that feeling…the one right before a job interview? The sweaty palms, stomach butterflies and slight fear of rejection. Ohhhhh yes, we know it all too well and our guest today Jenna Mulherin, founder of Own The Interview saw an opportunity to support ambitious professionals with all things interview readiness. She's been in the Retail and Wellness industry for the last 14 years and her passion for leadership, growth and supporting others in achieving their career goals has led her to champion what she does today.

It’s Sunday afternoon. You're sitting quietly on the couch and starting to imagine all the stress you will be under during the work-week and start internally listing all the things that need to get done. Does this feeling sound familiar? It does to us!

On this week’s episode of Check Your Aesthetic, Katie and Alexis sat down to talk everything “sunday scaries” (ie. what they are, how they can present themselves, and best practices to deal with and avoid them). If you have been struggling as an entrepreneur, working a remote job, or just have a stressful schedule, then this is the episode for you!

On this week’s episode of Check Your Aesthetic, Katie and Alexis sat down with brand collaboration coach, Kahlea Nicole. Kahlea is a content creator and entrepreneur based in Tampa, Florida with over 7 years of experience in influencer marketing. Known for her fun and relatable personality, she loves helping other multi-passionate creators monetize their talents and skill sets through brand partnerships. The girls discussed contracts, whether or not to accept gifted collaborations, and more. If you are in the influencer industry and are hoping to get your toes wet with monetizing your content, then this is the episode for you!

Is your website set up in the best way to drive sales and lower bounce rates? In this week’s episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Isabel Feuerstein, a web designer and the founder of Opal Templates. Isabel sells templates for online service providers focusing on balancing strategic and cute websites that help entrepreneurs get booked out while taking the stress off their business. They discussed the functionality and navigation of websites and how this can either lead to or deter sales. If you have been struggling with the website development for your business (whether service based or otherwise), then this is the episode for you!

Have you been struggling with feeling behind, overwhelmed, and staying on track within your business? In this episode Katie and Alexis had Jennifer Skinner on to talk everything systems, organization, and project management. Jennifer is a business manager, project planner, and organizational queen. She has worked with a variety of service providers (ie. coaches, influencers, copywriters, designers, photographers, etc) in order to relieve some of the pressure they experience while running their businesses. The girls talked about automating tasks, planning large projects, and the benefits of brain dumping. If you have been struggling to get your *ish* together within your business, then this is the episode for you! Also make sure to check out Jennifer because she will help you to get you biz to where you want it to be!

This has been one of the most highly requested episodes since the podcast was started! In this episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Sam Vander Wielen, an attorney-turned-entrepreneur who helps coaches legally protect their business. She helps entrepreneurs to get paid, protect their content, register their business, and grow a legally legit business online. Alexis and Katie were very excited to bring Sam on the podcast in order to help ease all of your legal worries surrounding your business. They talked about LLCs, DBAs, contracts, agreements, professionality, and more. If you have been anxious about and overwhelmed about setting up the legal side of your business in the right way, then this is definitely the episode for you! Also make sure to check out Sam down below because she will be able to get you on the right track.

Happy 100th episode of the Check Your Aesthetic Podcast!! We are SO thankful for every single one of you who have taken the time to press record, follow us on social media, or to leave a review. It has been such an amazing 2 years and we are so excited to see where we are able to grow.

In this episode Katie and Alexis talked about how you can practice self reflection in order to benefit your work, life, and business. They discussed the enneagram, 16 personality test, zodiac, and human design and how these quizzes and evaluations can impact your personal and professional lives. Of course feel free to take these results with a grain of rice, but they can be a nice way of evaluating and reflecting on your own personality and how you present yourself to the world.

In this episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Audrey Saccone from Launch Bff to discuss everything about launches within your business. Launches within your product or service based business can be very intimidating, especially when you don’t even know where to start. Audrey is an expert on launches and she gave great advice on where you can start and how you can grow you business through successful launches. If you have been wondering how to have a strategic and profitable launch, then this episode is for you!

In this episode Katie and Alexis sat down with graphic designer, Shyne Webster. Shyne is known on social media for promoting and practicing the concept of “slow girl summer.” Shyne is an expert in setting boundaries between her work and personal life and gives great tips on how you can do the same. If you have been struggling with slowing down and not running yourself too hard, then this is the episode for you!

In this episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Monica Denais, a therapist for ambitious women and entrepreneurs. Monica helps women overcome anxiety and perfectionism so they can feel confident in their life and in their business. Katie and Alexis asked Monica for her advice on how to combat loneliness as a small business owner and as someone who works from home. They talked about holding yourself accountable to reach goals, but also not giving yourself too hard of a time if that doesn’t work out. If you have been having a hard time emotionally with working for yourself or from home, then this episode is for you!

In this episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Dr. Lauren Cook, a psychologist and career coach who focuses on helping you ride the waves of anxiety. Lauren had amazing advice on how to deal with anxiety in the workplace, as an entrepreneur, and just in life as a whole. If you struggle with “Sunday Scaries” or understanding the reason why you are anxious in the first place, then this is the episode for you!

In this episode Katie Campbell and Alexis Aldrich sat down to discuss the societal pressure they feel to overachieve in their 20’s. A lot of times the narrative that you should succeed professionally in your 20’s, have a family in your 30’s, and travel in your 50’s and beyond is pushed. Alexis and Katie are taking the time to discuss the emotional toll this has taken on their perceptions of productivity and success and how they are making efforts to unlearn this mindset. If you have been struggling with the balance of holding yourself to certain standards with being truly proud of yourself for all you have accomplished, then this is the episode for you!

In this episode Katie Campbell and Alexis Aldrich sat down with Emma McGoldrick, the founder and CEO of ESM Creative and Golden Hour Guild. Emma is a graphic designer by trade but started Golden Hour Guild as a community for creative entrepreneurs to connect, build relationships, and grow from one another. Emma discussed how she was able to develop this group of supportive business owners and how she is able to benefit from those connections, along with her clients.

In this episode Katie Campbell and Alexis Aldrich sat down with Jess Massey, the founder of Hustle Sanely. Jess is a productivity mentor and focuses on ditching overwhelm and living a peacefully productive life. As small business owners, creators, and individuals working from home, it is very easy to become overwhelmed. Jess gave simple, ACTIONABLE tips to smashing your goals while also keeping your peace and prioritizing yourself. If you struggle with productivity or are looking for a bit of inspiration then this episode is for you!

In this week Katie Campbell and Alexis Aldrich sat down with Kristen Bousquet, the founder of Your Soulcial Mate. Kristen is an influencer mentor who helps content creators strategize and find their voice in the online space. The girls talked about how to show up authentically with the brands you work with, the trends you follow, and the content you post in general. Kristen had great advice for those who are aspiring or current creators and how to treat it as a career. If you have been considering influencing, or are looking for a source of inspiration, this episode is for you!

In this episode, Katie Campbell and Alexis Aldrich sat down with photographer Jordan Hefler to talk about her experience in entrepreneurship. Jordan explained the importance of diversifying your income as a business owner and gave examples of how she has been able to do so. She was very open and raw about the realities of business and how sometimes things need to change, but that is okay! If you are an entrepreneur, small business owner, or content creator: this episode is for you!

In this episode Alexis and Katie had social media strategist Brittany Jack on to discuss many topics such as omnipresent content marketing, niching down content, and getting out of content loops. Brittany had a lot of great advice for small business owners, budding influencers, and anyone who is trying to build their social media strategy. If that sounds like you, this is the episode to play right this second!

In this episode Katie and Alexis sat down with AK from Drip Jewelry. AK is a small business owner based out of Baton Rouge who sells inclusive and hypoallergenic jewelry. Along with many others, AK started her business during the pandemic. Despite fears and years of holding herself back, she decided to make the move. If you have been scared to follow your passion, this is the episode for you!

In this week’s episode of Check Your Aesthetic, the girls were together in person again to talk about the analytical and strategic side to creativity. With Katie’s career in social media management, and Alexis’s education in strategic creative direction and brand management, they understand the importance of being able to “read the numbers” behind creative projects. If you are a creative in any sense of the word, this episode will help you to better understand how you can back your projects with science.

In this episode Katie sat down with legendary content creator, Kelsey Darragh. Kelsey got her start working at BuzzFeed during the peak of YouTube and has been able to sustain her career online since going solo. They talked about Kelsey’s journey, how she has been able to sustain her career in content creation, and the benefits of working with a company versus working for yourself.

In this episode Katie and Alexis sat down IN PERSON to discuss having confidence in yourself, your career, and your business. Katie talked about conversations she has had with her friends and family and how it is important to exude confidence in order to allow others to have confidence in you and your business. Alexis discussed an exercise she did for school that will allow you to truly understand what you need to accomplish in order to achieve a certain goal, and to know who will be able to help you get to that goal. If you have been feeling uneasy when talking about your creative venture or creative career, this episode is for you!

In today’s episode Alexis sat down with Elaine from Design.Laine to talk about her experience with the product design industry. Elaine is a product/UI/UX designer who gave valuable insights on the design industry, how to add value to a consumer’s product, and how to make your portfolio stand out amongst the crowd. If you have been thinking about getting into product design, or have been wondering how to specialize your products to your target audience, this episode is for you!

In this episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Kristine from Flourish Planner to discuss her planner business, her presence online, and how she balances work and rest. Kristine talked about the pressure to stay productive and how she makes sure to not overwork herself. If you have been struggling with balancing productivity and staying on task, this is the episode for you!

In this episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Elyse Burns from Elyse Breanne Design. Elyse recently graduated from law school despite knowing that she would be pursuing her 6-figure earning business instead post-graduation. Elyse gave great advice on how to deal with negative feedback from career decisions while also making sure you are setting yourself up for success. If you have been afraid to follow your passion over a more “reliable” career path, then this is the episode for you!

This week, Katie sat down with Karsen Murray- an ethical copywriter- to discuss the benefits of email marketing for businesses and personal brands. They discussed what constitutes an effective email, how to build your email list, how to maintain consistency with email marketing, and what to include in your marketing emails. If you have an audience that you want to engage further off of social platforms, this episode is for you!

This week Katie and Alexis had Sophie Felts of Sophie Felts Floral Design on the podcast to discuss building and managing a creative team. Sophie discussed how she knew it was the right time to start hiring people to help her with her business and what the process of building that team has been like. They talked about how to make sure everyone is on the same page during the creative process and how to cultivate a positive work environment. If you have been thinking about growing your business and starting a team, this is the episode for you!

In this episode Katie and Alexis had romance author Willow Winters on to discuss her journey as a writer and self-publisher. Willow gave advice on how to market your books through online selling platforms, how to utilize social platforms like TikTok, and how much a book cover can really make a difference. Finally, she talked about the lifespan of a book and how you can always breathe life into old stories.

This week, Katie and Alexis discussed one of Katie’s favorite classes from her previous semester at University of Florida- Branding Using Social and Mobile Media. They discussed the importance of establishing a personal brand and how it can impact career opportunities in the future. They also discussed the aspects of developing a corporate brand and how to ensure branding remains consistent across social media. They discussed everything from target audience to content themes to brand vision architecture.

In this week’s episode of Check Your Aesthetic, Katie and Alexis sat down with their Creative Assistant, Kennedy Hausmann. Kennedy is a recent college graduate who is working as a content creator, freelance social media manager, and dance teacher on the side. Kennedy and the girls talked about what life has been like for them post grad and how difficult it can be to work in the creative field. Kennedy had great insights on how to try not to compare yourself to others and how it is okay to not know exactly what you are doing. If you have been struggling to know where your life or career is going - this episode is for you!

In this week’s episode Katie and Alexis sat down with the owner and founder of Ani + Co, Brittany. Brittany got her bachelor’s degree from SCAD in fashion design and went on to start her own candle business. Brittany discussed how SCAD influenced her business and her professional career in fashion. She discussed how she has been able to incorporate a message and meaning into her business, as well as the process behind developing scents. Finally, they talked about time management and how she is able to avoid burnout.

In this week’s episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Gina Galeoto to talk about the topic of “low energy” as a content creator. Gina is a content creator who coaches other creatives with their work and productivity.  Gina discussed her journey as a low-energy and neurodivergent business owner and content creator and shared insights on how she holds herself accountable while still honoring herself and giving herself grace. She also discusses tips for staying productive while working from home, honoring your energy cycles, and taking advantage of those high energy times or moments of motivation.

In this week’s episode Katie and Alexis sat down to talk about Alexis’s past quarter at the Savannah College of Art and Design. She went over her Entrepreneurship Principles and Practices class and gave great tips on how to build a business strategy. If you are thinking of starting a business or want to fine tune one you already have, this is the episode for you!

In today’s episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Emily from Sometimes Sensible to talk about everything finances. Emily is a financial coach, so she is an expert in everything budgeting and saving. She gave great tips on setting and prioritizing financial goals, getting comfortable with money, and negotiating salaries. If you’re scared by the words “budget,” “savings,” or “retirement,” this is the episode for you!

In this week’s episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Carolyn Pascual White, a food and drink stylist and photographer. Carolyn runs her business, the Social Sipper, which brought in 6 figures in its first year. They have worked with huge brands such as Starbucks, the Food Network, Crate & Barrel, and more. She gave some great tips on valuing yourself and your business despite having a smaller following count, and how to set up your business so your dream clients find you.

In this week’s episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Abby Price, the owner of Abbode, an eclectic boutique in NYC. Abby talked about her experience starting her business during the pandemic and eventually moving to a brick and mortar commercial space. She gave some insightful tips on establishing relationships and crafting a retail experience that creates repeat customers.

In today’s episode Katie and Alexis sat down with Emily Henegar of Cookie in the Kitchen, aka “the Cookie Girl.” Emily started selling cookies at 11 years old and has grown her business into a successful, sustainable venture with plans to open a physical bakery location. Emily shared great insights on how she has combined her passions of artwork, baking, and music into one, and how she brings her personal values into her business. If you are looking for an inspirational episode; this is the one for you!