If you're like me, you might feel helpless right now. Discouraged and probably overwhelmed. I am with you. I can't change what we are all going through together, but I wanted to do something. So I decided to put together a quick, scrappy and imperfect series to help shine some hope in the chaos we are in. I threw it together, texted a few friends to see if they would want to join me and put it on the calendar. I'm calling it Hope in the Chaos. Today I'm joined by my friend, Emily Ley.   We are going to walk with you and talk with you and process this with you. We're going to pray and talk about what anchors us during this storm.   Would you join me for this? There's no ask. No sale. No agenda. I just want to be present for you as we figure out how to get through this together in the coming days. I care about you friend, and I'm here for you. ??   You can view this entire series and receive the recap emails with journal questions if you visit businessboutique.com/hope.

It's scary out there, but hope is greater than fear. In times of crisis, facts are your friends. So get the facts and other common sense guidance on life and money from thought leaders and my friends, Dave Ramsey, Rachel Cruze, and Ken Coleman. daveramsey.com/hope

Tips From an Etsy Expert on How to Make More Money Online   1:17 Tips From an Etsy Expert on How to Make More Money Online with Melissa Kaiserman 25:50 Encouragement on What to Consider When Receiving Feedback   Resources Business Boutique Conference The Business Boutique Conference is coming back to Nashville Oct. 24-26. If you want to learn how to grow your business and chase your dream, you don't want to miss this event. To save $10 on any Business Boutique Conference ticket, use the code BBWRIGHT. If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week. Making money online has never been easier. You can start a successful business tomorrow with nothing more than an idea and a Facebook page-or, in Melissa Kaiserman's case, an Etsy store. Melissa's story began like so many of yours. She was using Dave Ramsey's envelope system and wanted a wallet that would help her divide her cash into different categories. When she couldn't find one she loved, she decided to make one herself. And then she made the "mistake" of showing it to her friends-because, of course, they all wanted her to make them one! Her wallets were a hit. This gave her the idea to simplify her design so she could create more wallets in less time and also make a profit by selling them online. She opened a shop on Etsy-A Time for Everything-and hit publish on her first wallet listing. Y'all, in just under a year, Melissa's Etsy store was providing full financial support for her family! Related: How to Make Money on Etsy I love stories like Melissa's because women often find it hard to believe that their talents, passions or hobbies can actually be profitable. Melissa's story is one of many that proves it's possible. In fact, her success on Etsy led to even more opportunities. Today, not only does she still have her online shop, but she's also blogging and selling courses to help other people succeed on Etsy. You can see why, when it comes to the topic of making money online and successfully selling on Etsy, I wanted to talk to Melissa Kaiserman! She and I took a deep dive into all the things. We started by talking through the pros and cons of choosing Etsy as your selling platform. How to Make Money Online by Selling on Etsy There are so many good things to say about starting and growing your business on Etsy. Thankfully, Melissa was able to narrow it down to her top three pros: 1. People know about it. Etsy currently has 41 million active buyers.1 That's right-a whole lot of people immediately think Etsy when they need a unique, handmade item. If you're just getting started selling online, it's going to be a while before you can get 41 million people to start scrolling through your personal website. I always tell you to hang out where your customers are. And in this case, your customers are hanging out on Etsy! 2. You'll get organic Google searches. SEO (search engine optimization) is just a fancy term for the likelihood that your product, page or Etsy store will pop up on Google when someone searches a particular word or phrase. And the good news is, Etsy does a great job of getting products found on Google. There are also some strategies you can do on your own to increase the chances of your Etsy store showing up on Google search results. I'll say more on that later. Related: Ep 41: Digital Marketing Strategies That Work 3. It's easy to use. I like to think of Etsy like a "business in a box." They make it so easy to set up a shop and maintain it. Not only does Etsy walk you through the whole process, but they also provide the tools to create a profile page and online presence. Plus, they handle the hosting, order intake, and even accept payment for you. These are all things you'd have to figure out on your own if you decided to start..

Originally Published Jul 29th 2019.

Happy New Year, y'all! Let's kick the year off right with this special episode! January is the time of year when you get a fresh start and a clean slate. And it's the perfect time to set goals! Goal setting is not only important for your business; it's also important for every other area of your life, like personal finances. Getting on a budget and getting out of debt are especially important! In this episode, I share my story about how I got fed up with debt and worked hard to pay it off. Doing this had a huge impact on my life and my family's life, which is why I want to help you find the same financial freedom and hope that I found. You'll also hear from Dave Ramsey, America's trusted voice on money. Dave has helped millions of people take control of their money and change their family tree. And I can't wait for you to hear a full lesson from Financial Peace University, his proven plan to winning with money! Imagine the impact you could make on your family, in your community, or even in your business if you didn't have to worry about debt. I hope you enjoy this special episode. This information is so valuable and I'm excited to share it with you. 2019 is going to be the year you take control of your money, your life, and your business. You've got this! Financial Peace University Special Offer Ready to get started? Click here to order today and get a free audiobook download of The Total Money Makeover, Dave's #1 best-selling book.

Originally published Jan 1st 2019.

This episode is just like having coffee with some of Business Boutique's best friends! Get to know host of the Marketing Your Business podcast, Stu McLeran; creator of The Magic Brush and host of The Jennifer Allwood Show, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of EVEREVE, Megan Tamte;  Founder & CEO of Simplified, Emily Ley; and speaker and author of Remember God, Annie F. Downs. They'll answer your questions, and more! 5:18 What is the best strategy for social media marketing? 7:34 How do I get social media followers to convert into sales? 12:36 How do I get people excited enough about my product to buy? 20:48 What are some of the challenges to watch for and common mistakes people make in the growth process? 24:17 How do I stop feeling guilty charging for my services, and even more importantly, help my staff feel more comfortable talking about money with clients?   This podcast was recorded during our Business Boutique 2018 VIP Lunch in Nashville, TN. If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week.

Originally Published Nov 5th 2018.

This episode is just like having coffee with some of Business Boutique's best friends! Get to know the host of the Smart Passive Income podcast, Pat Flynn; vice president of DigitalMarketer, Molly Pittman; speaker and author of 100 Days to Brave, Annie F. Downs; and creator of The Monetized Life, Nicole Walters. They'll answer your most burning questions, and more! 2:36 What does work/life balance look like? 10:59 What tools do you use to keep your schedule, your business and your life on track? 19:30 What do you do when business is slow? 35:13 What are some effective ways to turn work "off" when working from home? 37:10 What are some ways to stay focused?   This podcast was recorded during our Business Boutique 2017 VIP Lunch in Nashville, TN. If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week.

Originally Published Nov 6th 2017

Having Faith in Different Seasons   2:12 Having Faith in Different Seasons 4:15 Three Ways to Live Out Your Faith for Yourself and Others 16:13 Having Faith When Life Gets Hard with Amanda Bible Williams 50:30 Encouragement: God Can Use Your Crumbs Resources Business Boutique Conference The Business Boutique Conference is coming back to Nashville Oct. 22-24. If you want to learn how to grow your business and chase your dream, you don't want to miss this event. To save $10 on any Business Boutique Conference ticket, use the code BBWRIGHT. If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week. Having faith often looks different in different seasons of life. And sometimes I have this pattern in my life where I might go a season-a few weeks, a month, maybe even a few months-without going to church. This is embarrassing to admit, but life gets hard. You have babies . . . You get sick . . . Sometimes it's just tough to get there. But every single time I go back to church after one of these seasons, I notice something: I have this mindset that I'm doing it for God. I'm going to be a good Christian. I'm going to go to church. I'm going to get my brownie points. I'm going make God so happy with me because I'm showing up. And every single time I go back, I experience the same feeling: I was there for me. God invites me to church. God invites me into His story and into His plans. Not because He needs me, but for me-because I benefit from it. I don't know if you've ever experienced something similar, but I think it's really common to believe that about anything we do. Whether it's going to church, reading our Bible, praying, or even giving our time, we start to believe the lie that we're doing it for God. But the truth is that it's for us. God is all powerful. He doesn't need you or me. He doesn't need our money, time or talents. He doesn't need anything. He's God! He can move mountains, raise the dead, heal the blind, and part red seas. He can do anything. But He chooses to invite us into His story, and it's for our benefit. I want to give you three things that you can do to live out your faith in different seasons. And as you step into God's plan and God's calling and God's purpose for you, you'll experience the ripple effect in the kingdom and in yourself. You'll be amazed at how He peels away these layers of pride and wounds and selfishness and sin we didn't even know were there. But as long as we have faith and live it out, we're growing to become more like Him. 3 Ways to Live Out Your Faith for Yourself and Others: So, let's talk about three really simple things that you can do to live out your faith for yourself and others. 1. Show up. Matthew 18:20 (NIV) says "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Sometimes the best gift you can give someone is your presence. When God is in you, you can show up and show Him to people just by being present. Your presence is a gift and a ministry to the people in your life. So, just show up. Show up at church. Show up for your friends and family. Show up when someone needs help with their kids. Show up when someone needs a meal. Show up when someone just wants to sit and talk. Just be there for people. 2. Give When you give, God is inviting you to open your hands and hold your life, your time, your talents, your money, your energy, your plans, and your agendas with open hands. I believe God calls us to live a life with this posture with open hands where we can freely give and also freely receive. So, what does that look like for you? Here's what I know: Every time I give, I think I'm doing it for God and others. And every time, it changes me more than it changes them. 3. Pray Did you know that God actually moves on your behalf when you pray? I...

How to Handle Sales Rejection and Make an Impact   1:32 How To Learn From Your Experiences in Sales 5:39 How To Make an Impact In Sales 13:08 Overcoming Sales Rejection with Sarah Sloyan 36:55 Encouragement: Put Yourself Out There If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week. We've all had bad experiences with sales. I can count at least 10 times in the last couple years that I've had a bad encounter with a pushy salesperson or someone who just wouldn't take no for an answer. I bet you have too. You see, every single time this happens, we create associations in our minds. For instance, if that pushy salesperson selling lotion at the mall shoves lotion in your hands every time you walk by, you're probably not going to walk away feeling too good about sales. I'm willing to bet that every single one of you has had a bad experience with a pushy salesperson. The problem is that these kinds of negative experiences form our views and beliefs about sales itself. Think about it. When you think of sales or salespeople, you probably think slimy, sleazy, pushy or shady. None of those are positive. But here's the good news: Sales doesn't have to be like that. You don't have to be pushy, aggressive, annoying or get on people's nerves in order to sell. In fact, I hope you don't-that's not good sales . . . or even good business. Whether you realize it or not, you're all in the business of sales. Sales is how you stay in business, make money, help people, solve problems, and make an impact in your community.  Sales is serving people. Sales is telling people how you can help them. Money is just an exchange of value. It's a transaction. Life-change is what you're really selling, and that's what they're really buying. You aren't selling a thing. You're selling life-change. You're helping people make their lives better. And if you believe that-which you should-then you better get to selling. Remember, if you don't believe in your business, no one else will. Stop playing small and calling it holy. God never called you to shrink back and play small and apologize for the dreams and gifts and message and business that He gave you. Start standing up and start speaking up on behalf of this thing that you say you believe in. Start solving problems and making people's lives better. Start selling. Overcoming Sales Rejection with Sarah Sloyan I'm so excited about today's interview because I'm showing you a behind-the-scenes look at the Business Boutique Academy, my online training and coaching group. In this interview, I'm talking to Sarah Sloyan, the vice president of EntreLeadership at Ramsey Solutions who also happens to be an expert in sales. On this episode, Sarah and I talk about: Overcoming fear and how to handle sales rejection Understanding pain points and gaining trust How to handle Making the ask Believing in what you do and what you're selling Encouragement: Put Yourself Out There No one likes to be rejected, especially when it comes to sales. But what's interesting is that our fear of rejection actually keeps us from putting ourselves out there and making an impact in people's lives. My friend Tiffany Peterson says that 60% of sales occur after the fourth interaction. So that means people aren't necessarily saying no to you because they don't want what you have to offer or because they don't like it. People buy from those they know, like and trust. Maybe that "no" you just heard isn't really a no. Maybe it's a "not right now." Maybe what they're actually saying is they don't know you well enough, like you enough, or trust you enough yet. Don't give up. Keep building that relationship so that one day they will be ready to buy from you. Failure is a stepping-stone on your journey to success. You will fall down....

Stop People Pleasing and Live Life On Your Own Terms   1:16 Find Ways To Do More of What You Love and Less of What You Don't 9:19 Four Areas of Life Where You Can Live True to Yourself 19:14 Taking Control of Your Life with Chris Hogan 39:41 Challenge: Make Time for What's Important If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week. Find ways to do more of what you love and less of what you don't. Have you ever thought about what it looks like to actually live life on your own terms? That might sound simple, but if we're honest, most of us have a hard time actually doing it. I love to do things on my own terms. And because of that, I've done a few things that you might say are a little . . . weird. For instance, when I came home from college, Dancing With the Stars was in its first season. One week, an advertisement popped up for Latin and ballroom dance lessons in Nashville, and I thought, I think I'll do it. So, I did. For almost two years, I took Latin and ballroom dance lessons, and I even competed in a dance competition. Now that's weird. But that's not the only weird thing I've done. When all my friends were living in the city, I moved to a 40-acre farm with fainting goats, horses, and a mini donkey. While my friends were working their corporate jobs, I was mucking stalls. That's not normal. And then I decided I wanted to play soccer. So I went to the YMCA in my area and signed up for the adult league. I didn't have a team to play with, so they put me on a team with all Guatemalan men who spoke no English. And it was one of the most fun experiences of my life (not to mention, my Spanish got really stinking good). It was amazing how all of these experiences, though weird, were a lot of fun. But what was even more important was that they were things I wanted to do. They were things that were true to me. Here's what's interesting: Not everyone is quite as comfortable being a little weird, going against the "normal" logical path and plan for their lives, and doing some things that might be different. Do you struggle with this? Maybe you feel like it's not logical or practical to do something different. Maybe you're worried about what people might think. Friend, I don't want you to wait until it's too late to decide that you want to live your life. I don't want to look back with that regret and feel like I always made the safe choice or did what other people thought I should do and I'm guessing you don't either. Do you know that your life is just that-yours? You don't just have the right to create the life you want. You have the responsibility to. No one can change your life. You have everything you need and all the power in the world to make different decisions today about who you are and what you want for your life, your family and your future. You have permission to create a life that looks like who you are. You can be true to yourself without worrying about what everyone else thinks that you should be. 4 Areas of Life Where You Can Live True to Yourself I want to give you four practical areas to explore in your own life that will help you be true to yourself. Maybe you're already doing it. Maybe you feel confident in all these areas, but maybe not. Maybe as we walk through these, you'll start to look at these different areas of your life and realize you're making decisions based on what other people think. And if you are, would you do anything differently? 1. Career You have the right and responsibility to pursue a career that's right for you. You don't have to choose between being happy and making money. You actually can do both, believe it or not. So, what's the right career path, business path or money-making income path for you? How could you use your skills and gifts and talents in a...

How to Create an Amazing Customer Service Experience   1:14 Create an Amazing Customer Service Experience 4:30 Five Ways to Improve Your Customer Service 15:14 Customer Service That Disrupts the Competition with Shep Hyken 33:45 Encouragement: Use Your Experiences to Shape Your Customer Service If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week. When I wrote my book Business Boutique-a book entirely about how to start your own business-I left out something that I believe is crucial to winning in business: great customer service. Do you know why I didn't write about it? Because I believe, as women, we naturally excel in customer service. We're relational. We're great at connecting with people, serving others, nurturing, and thinking about how someone else feels. However, there's always opportunity to grow, right? Well, several years ago, I had a pretty frustrating experience with a customer service representative. It was so frustrating that I now use it as an example when I teach on what not to do when working with customers. Here's what happened: I got a notification in the mail that my dental insurance had been canceled. As you can imagine, I was really confused because there had been no other conversations about any problems with my dental insurance. And then one day, poof-it was canceled. So naturally, I called and spoke with a customer service representative, and she told me, "Well, you didn't pay your bill. You pay it every six months, and you didn't pay it the last time it was due." I responded, "I'm so sorry. I pay my bills. I wasn't aware that it was due. I don't remember getting a bill in the mail or hearing anything about this." And her response was, "Well, we decided to become a paperless company a few months ago, so we just send emails now." It turns out, they had an old email that I hadn't used in years. So, I kindly asked the "nice customer service person" if I could pay my bill right there over the phone and reinstate my insurance. Her response? She threw out three words that still makes me cringe to this day: "Our policy is . . ." Is there anything that makes a customer more upset than hearing, "I'm so sorry, but our policy is . . ."? Nobody cares about stinking policies! We don't have to run our businesses that way! In fact, your business will be more successful and more fun when you provide incredible customer service and put your customers before your policies. 5 Ways to Improve Your Customer Service I want to give you five ways you can improve your customer service and help your business succeed: 1. Don't be late. Always, always, always be on time. Whether it's a shipment going out, returning a phone call or an email, showing up to a meeting-whatever it is, do it on time. When in doubt, I always want you to underpromise and overdeliver. This one is convicting for me because I'm not great at it-I'm working on it. But this is the most basic way to keep your customers happy. Just be on time and do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it. 2. Don't be emotional. Listen, I've got a lot of feelings. I have so many feelings that even my feelings have feelings. But whether you're having a good day or a bad day, your customer doesn't care. Every day, your brand and your business should be having a good day. Nothing will break trust with your customers like being Dr. Jekyll on one day and Mr. Hyde on another. You've got to be consistent in how you take care of people. Don't be emotional, and don't take your bad mood out on your customers. 3. Don't forget to listen. I know this sounds really basic, but when we're having a conversation with someone, whether it's a normal conversation, a positive conversation, or even a really heated conversation, we're always thinking...