Life Beyond Business

There’s no denying that social media has become the go-to way to connect, and the food blog industry is no exception. As a foodie, I love to check out content from my favorite food creators every chance I get! During my lunch break, I’ll often pull up cooking videos on YouTube. When I’m waiting for my dog to finish with her vet appointment, I’ll scroll through food blogger Instagram reels, saving any yummy recipe videos that catch my eye. With so much potential reach on these social platforms, it’s easy to doubt if food blog websites are still relevant. But ignoring your website is a missed opportunity to enhance your community’s experience with your content. Let me explain why.

In this episode, Hayley Trejo joins me on the show to chat about the current landscape of social media (especially Instagram)! She shares her experiences working as a social media manager. We also chat about how to deal with the frustrations that many online business owners have been feeling lately due to changes with the platform. Hayley shares how you can create content that you're passionate about, while working with the algorithm.

I also loved Hayley's business tip about creating a strategy call offer for clients who aren't yet ready to book your full services! So be sure to listen out for that part!

I don't have a TikTok, but I hear about what's popular all the time! Most of my favorite creators to follow on other platforms like YouTube and Instagram get topic inspiration from TikTok. The other day, I even saw a cheese brand turn a popular TikTok recipe into a video pin for Pinterest! In this episode, I chat about my observations on TikTok content carrying over to other platforms, and how you can get content inspiration for your business!

Have you ever used Instacart?! I'm new to it, but there's something so satisfying about being able to browse your grocery store's inventory from your phone, make your selections, and then have your order conveniently delivered to your door. Recently, I had two amazing Instacart shopping experiences that got me thinking...can we apply this to our creative businesses? Tune in to hear what two Instacart shoppers taught me about customer service!

Want to give Instacart a try? Use my code MPALMER166D8 to get $20 off your first order!

Connect with Maya:

In this short and sweet solo episode, I'm sharing candidly about how embracing a mindset of choosing to believe in what's possible can help us reach our goals. Recently, I hit a big revenue goal in my business - despite not having the "perfect scenario" of everything that I thought I would need in place to achieve it. Let's chat about learning to let go of the perfectionism, self-doubt, and other mindset blocks that can so often hold us back!

Running a business as a solopreneur can be so exciting and fulfilling. But it does make it harder to experience time-freedom, since the business is depending on us to run and generate revenue. That's why Tasha Booth teaches service providers how to scale to an agency model. In this fun episode of the podcast, Tasha and I chat about what it's like to shift into a CEO role and start building an agency! Get ready for some mindset shifts and tactical steps that you can apply in your business!

Meet the Guest: Tasha Booth

Tasha began her journey in the online business space five years ago as a virtual assistant when she decided she was tired of living an ‘ordinary’ life on someone else’s terms. As her business grew, so did her commitment to helping others figure out how to make the life they craved reality.

As creatives, many of us have a tendency to be purpose-driven. This often leads to not wanting to sell our services and products because it feels "too salesy" or "sleazy." In this episode of the podcast, copywriter Grace Griffith shares how we can create messaging that actually feels good and converts to sales by meeting our audiences with empathy.

Grace Griffith is a copywriter and messaging strategist for coaches, consultants, and course-creators. She specializes in crafting messaging that builds trust  - leading to more engagement, connection, and conversions for her clients. Grace believes marketing should be grounded in empathy and that good listening is what causes businesses to stand out. When Grace isn’t writing copy or studying data, you’ll find her reading fiction or business development books, practicing yoga, or traveling with her husband and three-year old.

In this episode, Lauren Cunningham is sharing her inspiring story of how navigating a life-altering health diagnosis led her to entrepreneurship. After facing setbacks due to her health, Lauren is now an integrative health coach who uses her experiences to help others. We talk about how to cope during difficult seasons, and figuring out what you want to do next. If you're going through a difficult, unexpected season in life, I hope this episode encourages you!

The podcast is back! In this episode, I'm sharing what I learned from being in a season of doing less, and sharing tips for you if you want to take more time off from your business! 

The podcast is on summer break! For June and July, I'll be releasing shorter mini-episodes focused on revisiting key topics from past interviews. There will be actionable takeaways for you to dive deep into so that you can apply what you've learned to your business and life.

In this deep dive, let's chat about passive income - the idea of creating something once and then being able to make money from it over and over again. It can feel like a shiny object that isn’t actually attainable sometimes. It’s easy to not try because we don’t know where to start. While a lot of options aren’t truly passive (semi-passive might be a better word, because they still need some attention from you after creation), I love how Jessica shares tangible examples of just how easy (and fun) it can be to create passive income that meets your clients’ needs. Specifically, these examples are for web designers and copywriters, but feel free to still take inspiration if you’re in a different industry. These ideas got me excited, I hope you love them too!

The podcast is on summer break! For June and July, I'll be releasing shorter mini-episodes focused on revisiting key topics from past interviews. There will be actionable takeaways for you to dive deep into so that you can apply what you've learned to your business and life.

As entrepreneurs, we’re told quite often to focus on growth and improvement. But as therapist Lea Lester reminds us, self-improvement goals that negatively impact our mental health aren’t really allowing us to improve. In this deep dive, let's chat about why and how rest and self-care is an important part of the journey, too. Being self-aware can help us take a more sustainable approach to self-improvement.

The podcast is on summer break! For June and July, I'll be releasing shorter mini-episodes focused on revisiting key topics from past interviews. There will be actionable takeaways for you to dive deep into so that you can apply what you've learned to your business and life.

In this deep dive, let's chat about where to start with being more inclusive and giving back intentionally as business owners. Knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. I love Nicole Yang's perspective that it’s okay to start small, and that finding ways to give back can look different for everyone.

The podcast is on summer break! For June and July, I'll be releasing shorter mini-episodes focused on revisiting key topics from past interviews. There will be actionable takeaways for you to dive deep into so that you can apply what you've learned to your business and life.

In this deep dive, let's talk about defining your boundaries as a personal brand. Often we think that having a personal brand means that we have to “share everything” online. But as Kendall reminds us, it’s okay to have boundaries, even with a personal brand. It’s also okay to share vulnerably, when you want to, just take some time to consider what you’re ready to share on a public platform.

The podcast is on summer break! For June and July, I'll be releasing shorter mini-episodes focused on revisiting key topics from past interviews. There will be actionable takeaways for you to dive deep into so that you can apply what you've learned to your business and life.

In this deep dive, let's chat about how you can learn from entrepreneurs outside of your industry. If you listened to the deep dive on finding your voice, you heard Natasha talk about consuming less content from your competitors. I also love a perspective that Elizabeth McCravy shared on how when creating courses, services, products, etc. observing businesses outside our field can be a huge help.

The podcast is on summer break! For June and July, I'll be releasing shorter mini-episodes focused on revisiting key topics from past interviews. There will be actionable takeaways for you to dive deep into so that you can apply what you've learned to your business and life.

In this deep dive, let's chat about inviting God into our businesses. As a Christian Business Owner, you might have felt that tug of war between wanting to pursue goals and plan your way, and needing to let go and let God guide! I know I have. My friend Erica has such a wise perspective on how she stays in prayer and trusts God to guide her decision-making in her business.

The podcast is on summer break! For June and July, I'll be releasing shorter mini-episodes focused on revisiting key topics from past interviews. There will be actionable takeaways for you to dive deep into so that you can apply what you've learned to your business and life.

In this deep dive, let's chat about creating content that guides your audience to true transformation and long-term results. “Quick Win” content like “10 headlines to use for your next blog post” is fun to share as an instagram carousel, and often gets a lot of engagement! But as copywriter Jess Jordana pointed out, this might not be the best type of content to help your audience experience true transformation. Jess explains that she wanted to “stop giving a way out of writing, and give them a way into loving it instead.”

The podcast is on summer break! For June and July, I'll be releasing shorter mini-episodes focused on revisiting key topics from past interviews. There will be actionable takeaways for you to dive deep into so that you can apply what you've learned to your business and life.

In this second deep dive, let's chat about business boundaries. Do you ever feel like your business is taking over your life? I know I’ve been there, and I’m still working to figure out how to navigate business and life in a way that feels natural and sustainable. My mentor Ida has such a wise perspective on how being intentional about your business boundaries can help you make the most of the time you spend at and away from your desk.

The podcast is going on summer break! For June and July, I'll be releasing shorter mini-episodes focused on revisiting key topics from past interviews. There will be actionable takeaways for you to dive deep into so that you can apply what you've learned to your business and life. 

In this first deep dive, I'm chatting about finding your voice as an industry leader. You’ve probably heard someone say “my industry is just so saturated” before. With so much going on these days, it can feel hard to cut through the noise and reach your people. I asked Instagram Strategist Natasha Samuel how she found her voice in such a popular niche. Natasha shared that it comes down to intentionally seeking out your own strengths and beliefs without fear of failure, and quieting the voices of others while you do that.

Whether you have a brand new puppy or an older dog, these tips will make working from home with a dog easier. This podcast episode is going to be a pretty fun one because I get to talk about my dog, Sage! She is my best buddy and my whole life pretty much revolves around her right now. Sage is 3 years old at the time I'm recording this, and we got her when she was 10 weeks old. I definitely got to experience that puppy phase of their first year of life! And even though I wasn't really focusing on my business that much when I first graduated from college, I was still working from home and kind of doing the business as a side hustle. So I definitely got to experience working from home with the puppy. Now that Sage is older and I'm running my business, I have that experience of working from home with an older dog, too. 

In this episode of the podcast, my amazing client Michelle Hobgood is sharing her story of navigating life as mom to her son Devon who has Autism and Cerebral Palsy, while also exploring her passions and pursuing entrepreneurship. Michelle has such a gift for being real about the hard things in life, while also making space for gratitude and optimism. She's also a fierce advocate for self care as a parent - especially if you are caring for a child with special needs. Michelle's got so much wisdom to share, tune in to be inspired!

Meet the Guest

Michelle is a home organizer that guides overwhelmed women to kick clutter to the curb and whip their space into shape with real-life tidying systems that help them level up and feel good about coming home. She’s spent the past 20 years as a personal trainer and with the launch of her new business, The Tidy Trainer, she’s combined her passion for transforming lives through organization, productivity and wellness.

She’s also the mom of an amazing young man with autism and a fierce advocate for the neurodivergent community. You can find the transparent musings of her unique life as a mompreneur on Instagram and watch how she juggles it all with a smile (most of the time).

Marta Luvian is sharing her story of running a full-scale, growing digital marketing agency alongside her husband Vijay - while also parenting their two adorable kiddos.⁣ She's honest about the challenges and mindset shifts she's experienced. And since digital marketing is her jam, she's also got great tips for how moms can stay consistent on social and embrace marketing in a sustainable way! ⁣

Marta shares such an uplifting and honest perspective in this episode! I love how she embraces challenges with positivity. 

Brittany Rincon was quick to admit that being a mom, business owner, and full-time teacher isn't easy. But she's found a way to move forward in her business while still being present with her family. In this episode of the podcast, Brittany shares her best advice for finding success as a mompreneur with a 9 to 5. She's such a beautiful example of the fact that you can be a mom and run an amazing business and have a full-time job - but you don't have to be perfect or have it all figured out!

Meet the Guest

Brittany Rincon is a boy mom to 3, lover of a strong cafe con leché, teacher, and a podcast strategist. She founded Hello Podcast Media, a podcast launch + management boutique agency that helps women entrepreneurs, especially women of color, use the power of audio to align their podcast to their content marketing and streamline their podcast content creation processes.

Recently, I was catching up with a past client and he asked me some great questions about being a full-time entrepreneur. I figured that there's probably more people just like him who have questions, so I decided to make a podcast episode sharing my experience so far! If you’re dreaming of going full-time, struggling with whether or not it’s time, or also navigating your first year of full-time - this episode is for you. I hope that learning from my experience is helpful for you!

Dyana King is a financial coach who helps single women maximize their income using simple behavior-based strategies. You might know her from her blog, Money Boss Mama.

As a single mom, Dyana paid off over $34,000 in debt and learned how to experience more financial freedom. Now, she's living completely debt free, saving 30% of her income, and building wealth as a single mom of two. I was so inspired by Dyana's story. As soon as I found out about her, I invited her onto the show for an interview!

I really wanted to have her share her experience as a regular person, like any of us, on how she was able to overcome those mindset blocks she experienced and really learn to have a good relationship with money. You'll hear her talk about how important mindset is when it comes to managing your money!

In this episode, I'm sitting down with the awesome and funny Jessica Stansberry! You may know her from her YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers, where she teaches about passive income, starting a YouTube Channel, course creation, and more! She's an amazing teacher, and it was an honor to have her on the show to chat about where to start with passive income as a service provider. Jessica also shares her thoughts on being a good team leader as a small business owner and overcoming obstacles in business. Be ready to take notes, this episode is packed with amazing takeaways!

Meet the Guest: 

Confession - In college, my mom used to try to get me to listen to finance podcasts, talk about passive income, etc. and I thought it was boring (sorry Mom). But once I started running a business and adulting post-college, I realized how important it is to have a handle on your financial situation and know how to manage your money. That's why I'm so excited to share about two awesome finance books: Profit First and Get Good with Money! Tune in to hear what I love about these books and how they can help you with your financial journey. If you have questions about knowing how much/when to pay yourself as a business owner or creating a realistic budget and paying off debt, these books can help!

(Disclaimer: I'm not a financial expert in any way. This is just me sharing books that I've found helpful. Please take what I share with a grain of salt and consult a financial expert If you have questions about your specific situation.)

When this episode originally airs, it will have been about 3 months since my podcast launched! So I'm taking you behind the scenes and sharing what the experience has been like so far. Let's chat about what's gone well, unexpected lessons learned, and my goals moving forward. I've got lots to share, and some tips to help you if you want to start a podcast, too!

If you're enjoying the show, would you mind leaving a review on Apple podcasts? It's a simple way to support the show that helps others find it. I appreciate it so much!

As business owners who care deeply about the people we serve, it's so exciting when we see our clients experiencing wins. In this episode of the podcast, copywriter Jess Jordana walks us through how we can create opportunities for client transformation. We talk about how offering a safe space and being willing to "listen with a filter" allows us to support the needs of others - both in life and business. This episode has lots of takeaways for you to apply to your business - be ready to take notes!

Jess Jordana is a copywriter (a.k.a. heart translator) who helps creative business owners turn their passion into words people actually "get." She runs Jess, XO, a copywriting agency for creative entrepreneurs and is the founder of The Promptlate® Shop. She drinks iced coffee all year round, and firmly believes if date night isn't tacos, you're doing it wrong. She couldn't do a day in business without her cute hubs (Presley), her brand new baby girl (Parker Jane), and her doodle pup (Joey Tribbiani). She's worked with everyone from solopreneurs to organizations like The Rising Tide Society, The GUIDE Culture, CEO School, and The Social Bungalow but her most impressive accomplishment is surviving teaching in the high school classroom and getting to meet her former students for coffee when they come back from college. She's a brand new mama and is so grateful to be able to navigate what building (and re-building) her dream business can look like in balance with building her dream life.

Nicole Yang is on the show and I'm so excited for you guys to hear everything that she has to share on what it means to truly be an inclusive leader, how you can grow as an inclusive leader, and how to find ways to support others through your business. She has so many great thoughts to share. This is such a complex topic, and we definitely don't have all the answers, but I'm so grateful for what Nicole had to say and learned a lot from our conversation.

Meet This Episode's Guest: 

Most designs only scratch the surface of their potential, and Nicole Yang is here to change that. Nicole is a brand strategist + graphic designer with a penchant for combining strategic design with great ideas. With a decade of experience working with dozens of online business owners, she supports online brands and business owners by directing their visual brand, designing their product and service launches, and helping them boost their visibility and presence. Her expertise in product, digital, and print design helps businesses grow confidently and bravely... and with more than a little punch.

I wanted to chat with Elizabeth about community building because her course, Booked Out Designer, has such a tight knit community. As a founding member, it's been cool to watch everything unfold, especially since you don't often see super engaged communities with online courses.

This is a pretty special interview for me, because Elizabeth was a big inspiration for me in deciding what I wanted to do with my business. Her podcast was the first business podcast that I started listening to  (I still listen to it to this day!) I'm also one of her students in Booked Out Designer. Elizabeth's really awesome, I'm so excited for you to learn from her!

Meet This Episode's Guest:

Elizabeth McCravy believes that smart strategy combined with plenty of personality leads to a thriving business. As a web designer, podcast host, and business coach, she spends her days designing gorgeous, strategic website templates from her home in Nashville and shares all her business strategy tips and tricks on her show – the Breakthrough Brand Podcast. She’s helped over 1000 business owners highlight their value and show off their skills through her library of beautifully designed and easily customizable website templates, and she’s on a mission to help every entrepreneur create a strategic, personality-filled website. Elizabeth is a Showit Top Designer and a go-to resource for the online business community. When she’s not teaching or designing, you can find her bingeing Law and Order: SVU, putting her certified yoga-teacher skills to work, or nose-deep in the latest mystery novel.

These days, people really do want to connect to your brand, and they're going to buy more from the businesses and brands that they trust and have those genuine connections with. Pat Flynn's book Superfans explores how having an engaged community can help you grow your business. This book was such a fun and interesting read for me, so I want to share some key takeaways with you!

Most of what I'm sharing here is from the introduction or part one of the book. So, you'll need to read the book to get all of the details!

If you're enjoying the show, would you mind leaving a review on Apple podcasts? It's a simple way to support the show that helps others find it. I appreciate it so much!

With everything that's been going on socially and culturally over the past few years, I've heard so many online business owners saying things like, "I want to speak up, but I'm afraid of saying the wrong thing," or "How do I know when to talk about something, or when to take more time to process?" That's why I wanted to have Natasha Samuel on the show. Natasha is an Instagram Strategist, but she doesn't just talk about how to shine online. She doesn't shy away from taking a stance on social topics that she's passionate about, and she's been intentional about cultivating a brand that welcomes all people. In this episode, Natasha shares how knowing and owning your personal and brand values can help you be a more inclusive leader. We'll also chat about life lessons that have impacted her, and Instagram strategy (of course!).

Meet This Episode's Guest

Natasha is the host of The Shine Online Podcast and an Instagram Strategist that helps small businesses shine online. Through intensive strategy days, digital resources, and education, Natasha helps you build your brand on the ‘Gram with a video strategy that is fulfilling and fun without the overwhelm.

When I came into the "real world" after college and decided to be an entrepreneur, I didn't see a lot of people designing websites who looked like me. So, when I found Bernel Westbrook and Octavia Elease, it was so encouraging. I've been following their brands for a while and I love what they stand for, how they serve, and how they show up. It's my honor to be able shine a spotlight on them in this special episode of the podcast! I hope you enjoy getting to know them both better as we chat about life and entrepreneurship.

There are some struggles that come with being a minority in the industry, so you'll hear us touch on that in the episode. But both Bernel and Octavia brought so much joy and energy to this conversation - they're both so amazing!

When she was a kid, Erica Rascoe had trouble finding books with characters that looked like her. So, now that she encourages kids to read through Miss Erica's Reading Club, she makes it a point to talk about diversity and inclusion. I'm so excited for you to hear Erica's interview - she's one of my best friends and has such an uplifting spirit. 

To kick-off the Black History in the Making series, we're chatting about why representation matters, being a leader and not a follower, and how Erica's faith in God impacts her nonprofit!

In honor of Black History Month, I'm honoring 4 women in a special series on the podcast! These ladies are doing amazing things, and have been influential to me on my journey as a young, Black entrepreneur. In this solo show, I share what to expect in the rest of the series. I also share my best advice for dealing with being a Minority in the entrepreneur space, and why the phrase "saving a seat for someone" is so special to me.

If you're enjoying the show, would you mind leaving a review on Apple podcasts? It's a simple way to support the show that helps others find it. I appreciate it so much! 

Jessie Wyman is Brand and Product Photographer based in Boston, MA. In this episode, we're chatting about her journey exploring different niches as a self taught photographer, advice for overcoming the challenges of pivoting your business, how brand photography can help you stand out in a crowded market, educational opportunities Jessie offers for other photographers, and why it's so important to give yourself grace as a business owner. 

At the start of every new year, and really all throughout the year, many entrepreneurs are dealing with the pressure to grow, do more, and constantly improve. While having goals is a good thing, therapist Lea Lester knows that pursuing your goals at the expense of your mental health is a recipe for burnout.

Lea (pronounced lee) is a licensed therapist, Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator, Certified Trauma Conscious Yoga Method Facilitator, Ph.D. student, and entrepreneur.  She primarily works with young adults; helping them prioritize self love, self awareness, and self acceptance.

As a former public school educator, she became passionate about helping young adults navigate the increasing pressures and pain of coming of age in today's society. Her therapeutic interests include childhood trauma, intergenerational trauma, and somatic awareness. A self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist, her work places heavy emphasis on compassion, courage, and connection.

In this episode, Lea explains how to recognize if you're experiencing self-improvement burnout, and what questions will lead you to developing a more sustainable approach for yourself.

Entrepreneurship is a roller coaster of ups, downs, and pivots. Kendall Dunn, known through her brand as Kendall Mariah, is someone I admire for how she has embraced not being known for just one thing, and allowing God to guide her pursuits. Currently a content creator and brand strategist with over 500K followers across all her platforms, Kendall knows her stuff! She's also one of the most genuine people I've ever met, and I'm so grateful that I was able to chat with Kendall today and building an authentic brand, having boundaries as an online leader, how becoming a mom has changed her life and business, staying grounded in roots and faith, and more. We covered a lot in this episode - it's a good one!

As business and nonprofit owners, we have the opportunity to decide what kind of leader we want to be. This impacts how we show up for our customers, communities, teams, and even ourselves. Antowanna Carpenter embodies servant leadership. She prioritizes the needs of others in her business decisions, and has a heart for giving.

I sat down with Antowanna to chat about the lessons she's learned on business and service, how to be a resource for  your community as a for-profit or nonprofit leader, and more! Tune in if you've been thinking about starting a nonprofit, or giving back more as a business owner!

Meet the Guest

From humble beginnings, Antowanna Carpenter started helping individuals start nonprofits from the kitchen table of their homes.  From there, she went on to start a company and training systems designed specifically to help individuals understand the nonprofit start and growth process.  She is an entrepreneur, educator, coach to start-up business owners and expert grant writer. Antowanna has dedicated over twenty five years of her life helping individuals and companies turn their hobbies, gifts, visions and passions into successful businesses.

Throughout the years, Antowanna has provided nonprofit and for-profit start-up coaching as well as grant writing training to thousands of individuals including businesses, government agencies, churches and schools. Antowanna is an educator by career and has a master's degree in business.  She has been featured on TCT, Scholar Magazine, various TV and radio shows. Antowanna is inspired by helping to develop organizations that empower communities. She sees her work with individuals as more of a mission to serve from the things in which she has learned and observed over the years.

Do you ever feel like your business is running your life instead of supporting the lifestyle you dreamed of? If you can relate, know that I'm right there with you. And I have a feeling that we're not the only two! Ida Winstead, a fellow Showit Designer and one of my most recent mentors, has a unique perspective on enjoying work, but leaving plenty of margin to enjoy life, too.

Ida is the owner of Hygge Design Co., a brand and Showit website design company serving creative entrepreneurs and the host of The Hygge Hour Podcast. After moving to the US from Norway and finding that American corporate life was not for her, she’s made it her mission to help other entrepreneurs bring more hygge and less hustle to their lives through strategic design and increased confidence, so that they can work less and enjoy life a little more. When she’s not busy designing away you can find her hanging out with her High School sweetheart husband or working on their fixer-upper in Raleigh.

In this episode, I sit down with Ida to chat about building a business that allows you the freedom to enjoy life, how she's persevered to become a successful entrepreneur, the importance of mindset in business, and more!

I'm sharing how being rejected from full-time jobs turned out to be a blessing in disguise that pushed me to take entrepreneurship seriously. With the help of God, my parents, and a few mentors, I'm running a business that I didn't even know was possible a few years ago! In honor of this being the first episode, I'll also share what inspired this podcast - and what to expect in future episodes!