Eight Recommended Podcasts for Creative Entrepreneurs
Thank goodness for podcasts and audio books, right? It’s so nice to be able to consume content while doing other things! While I love a good ol’ fashioned book, I have limited time to sit on the couch and read as much as I’d like since having kids.
Listening to podcasts has helped to keep me informed in regards to social media trends and tips for entrepreneurs. They’ve really helped to make me feel connected to others on this crazy journey of starting a business. While there are several informative and entertaining ones out there, I thought that I’d share some of my current favorites…
My Top Podcast Recommendations
1. Social Media Marketing Podcast with Michael Stelzner
This podcast offers so much great information in regards to *surprise* social media marketing! I always seem to get some valuable actionable tips from each episode. If upping your social media game is on your to-do list, check this one out!
2. The Portfolio Life with Jeff Goins
I love this podcast for the authenticity and perspective. I think anyone who is trying to carve out their own creative niche, would find this podcast insightful. If you read last week’s post, you already know I’m a big fan of his message and what he’s doing.
3. Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield
I could listen to Amy talk all day! Her calm voice makes me feel like I can anything! Amy is great about giving practical, tested advice on her show. I’m super excited to hear her talk and attend her break-out session at the upcoming Business Boutique conference this November!
4. Read to Lead Podcast with Jeff Brown
A couple of my favorite episodes ever, have been from this podcast. The guests on this show are top-notch, amazing individuals and I get so much wisdom and value from them. Jeff’s interview with John C. Maxwell about adding value to people was absolutely life-changing. I shared it with my husband and it impacted him deeply. I seriously feel like things make so much more sense when I’m done listening.
5. Art of Paid Traffic with Rick Mulready
I’ve really been digging more into Facebook Ads and I plan to offer this as one of my services. The targeting that can be done on this platform is impressive and can help scale a business. If this is something you’re interested in utilizing to spread awareness, grow your email list, and get leads, you’ll find this podcast to be highly informative. Rick does a great job of breaking things down and explaining them in a way that’s easy to understand.
6. The Business of Story with Park Howell
We’ve all been hearing more about the importance of story when it comes to marketing. This podcast fascinates me and I’ve learned so much about the criteria for a good story. I have a lot to learn still, but this podcast has been a good start!
7. Build Your Tribe with Chalene Johnson
I know there are a lot of Chalene fans out there, and I’m one of them! When I first came across her podcast, I instantly felt connected to her. She’s originally from the midwest and says “dude.” I was sold! I love her short little snack-able episodes on entrepreneurship and social media.
8. Catholic Creatives
This is a fairly new podcast, and as you can tell from the title, this podcast is directed towards a pretty specific group of people. If you happen to be a Christian who is passionate about hope, beauty, and quality art being used to make a positive difference for the Church, then check this one out. The interviews are great and the discussions are insightful.
There are so many more that I’m subscribed to and enjoy listening to. I could quickly turn this list into 20!
What is your favorite podcast? Do you have a special valuable episode that you recommend?
Life is About Moments, and Other Takeaways from Tribe Conference
If you’re like me, you feel a little isolated while working on your big idea and growing your mission. And there are probably only a few people, if any, who really understand your vision and what you’re trying to achieve. Maybe you’re even still trying to figure that out for yourself. I’m with you!
Attending the Tribe Conference let me be around my kind of people- others who are stepping out in faith and using their gifts to make a difference in the world. It was definitely a soul-filling weekend. I’m still processing all the amazing advice and words of wisdom from the mouths of the speakers and other attendees!
Here are five of my favorite takeaways from the conference (and there were many):
1. Life is about moments.
Carlos Whittaker said in his talk, “Movement leads to moments. Moments lead to movements.” We need to take action and live on purpose. This includes, most importantly, being present for our families, or as Carrie Wilkerson referred to them, “shareholders.” They are likely the reason behind why we are pursuing whatever goals we have in the first place, so we have to value them while we’re building our dreams. Opportunities will come simply from “living our lives out loud,” Carlos encouraged.
2. Discover your “why.”
This was one of the biggest themes of the conference. Before starting anything, it is so important to identify what’s motivating us and what is the frustration that is driving us to action. Shawn Coyne had this to say:
When you run away from your questions, you’re running away from what you’re destined to do.
Yeah, pretty powerful! And so true. When we explore what truly bothers us, we can begin to focus on solving that problem. Emily Freeman labeled the combination of Frustration (fuel) + Passion (fire) + Hope (oxygen) as the “Fire Triangle.” This is where she says the “sweet spot” of uncovering our voice and making a difference is found!
3. Consistency is vital.
This was the another hot topic of conversation among speakers. I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but consistency builds trust. Consistency leads to creating better content. Trust me, it was drilled into my head!
Be present. Keep showing up. -Jeff Goins
4. Creativity isn’t comfortable.
For all of you Steven Pressfield fans, you’ve heard of the term “resistance.” Shawn Coyne further explained this as, “The thing that you are avoiding the most, is the thing that you need to pay attention to the most.” This tension is something that every creative person faces and it’s probably one of the top reasons it can be so hard to be consistent at times and, also, why it’s so important to be consistent. Tim Grahl and Shawn both shared some priceless insights about this topic during their deeply authentic on-stage interview. It was one of the highlights of the entire conference, in my opinion.
When you’re learning and trying new things, you are always “at the end of your current knowledge,” as Tim put it. He goes on to say, “If you’re feeling good all the time about your creativity, you’re doing it wrong.” Shawn added, “Creation comes out of a difficult struggle.”
So, in summary, if you’re frustrated and avoiding something, it’s normal! Keep choosing to face it and move forward.
5. Relationships are key to success.
Whether you are nurturing a relationship with a child, helping a customer, or networking with an influencer, it’s how you interact with people that matters. Are you being helpful? Are you valuing the other person’s time? Are you being loving and trying to make a difference so that others may live better? Be generous! (I’m talking to myself here!)
Thanks, Jeff Goins and team, for a great conference! I’ve already purchased my ticket for next year!
If this sounds like your kind of thing, I promise that you won’t be disappointed! Let me know if you plan to go, and hopefully next time there won’t be a gas shortage because Tennessee is in a state of emergency!
If you went to Tribe Conference, what was your most valuable takeaway?
Who else has gone to any amazing conferences this year? Where did you go?
The Secret to Making a Difference and Building a Community
If you’re starting a business, launching a blog or ministry, or pursuing any other sort of entrepreneurial endeavor, chances are that you’re trying to reach a lot of people with your message/product/service. You likely have dreams of making a big difference in the world! This is wonderful, because we need people who are using their gifts and talents to positively impact those around them.
However, turning our big idea into reality can quickly become overwhelming. How can we affect the people who want and need what we have to offer?
The answer is this: Help one person.
It almost seems counter-intuitive to focus on just one individual, but that’s where the most meaningful impact happens.
St. Teresa of Calcutta states this perfectly:
Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.
Christian recording artist, Matthew West, illustrates this message well. Several years ago he reached out to fans and asked them to submit letters telling their own personal stories. He turned these heart-breaking experiences into personal songs about what God’s response would be to offer hope and healing to that specific person. Instead of trying to write songs with the idea of reaching thousands and millions of people, he chose to focus on addressing one person’s pain. These songs have been collected into albums and have affected so many because of intentionally acknowledging one person at a time.
And just this week (because that’s how God works), I ran across an absolutely amazing article by Chris Marlow who is the founder of Help One Now and author of the new book, Doing Good is Simple. In it he writes:
Yes, the problems we face are big, but it’s far better to focus on the small. Here’s what I mean: You might not be able to fix all the problems in the world, but what if you focused on just a few?
For example, there’s a story in my book that shows how small can be really big.
In 2012, Help One Now gave a $300 microloan to a family in Zimbabwe who used it to start a chicken farm. I had a chance to visit the family the following year, and I asked the father what he liked best about having his own business. I was expecting him to mention the greater financial security the family had, or the fact that his kids were regularly in school, or their future potential.
Instead, he answered, “What I love the most is that every Thursday, I’m able to take my son to get an ice cream cone.”
Sometimes, doing good and making a difference is simply helping a dad buy an ice cream cone for his son. When all of the world’s problems seem so big, so out of our reach, just remember this: $300 literally transformed an entire family’s future.
Maybe we can’t help everyone, but we can help ONE family. And if we all did that, imagine the possibilities, the beauty, the impact!
Please do yourself a favor and read the entire inspiring article here.
When we take the time to really listen to a person and help them solve a problem, we build trust and cultivate hope. Individuals are who matter. And it takes inspired individuals to come together to make a thriving community.
Still struggling with where to begin? Take a piece of advice from Michael Hyatt and “do the next right thing.” Our path will become more clear as we take action towards what we think we are called to do.
How are you using your gifts to help someone else? What dreams do you have for the world?
Stillness, Silence, and the Side-Hustle
When you randomly notice a topic no less than 5 times in about 3 weeks, I think it’s time to pay attention! Let me just say, message received. In this era of digital distraction and the “side-hustle,” the words “stillness” and “silence” are not ones that are discussed very often. However, I have come across a video, two books, and two articles recently that discuss the importance of these exact subjects.
I don’t know about you, but it seems that I constantly need to be making more money, juggling more responsibilities at my full-time job, spending more time with my girls, cleaning my house more often, volunteering more, etc. I thrive on having some unscheduled time, but that is harder to come by these days as I’m building my social media management business (that I love) which takes effort, planning, and lots of brain power. I’m definitely feeling the pressure to stretch myself as thin as possible in this season of my life, but I’m worried about the costs to my health, spiritual life, family, and overall well-being.
Although I’m currently tempted to take on a part-time job to gain more experience and to quickly grow my client roster, I know that realistically that just won’t work right now. I think God is reaffirming this by knocking me over the head with some insightful content. I’m listening, Lord!
If you think this is something you can relate to, check out the following resources I’ve come across recently:
- Fr. Mike Schmitz keeps it real while discussing the topic of silence in this video from Ascension Press. Could it be that silence is essential for creativity?
Demonstrate your trust in Me by sitting quietly in My Presence. Put aside all that is waiting to be done, and refuse to worry about anything. This sacred time together strengthens you and prepares you to face whatever the day will bring. By waiting with Me before you begin the day’s activities, you proclaim the reality of My living Presence…. When you spend time with Me, I restore your sense of direction. As you look to Me for guidance, I enable you to do less but accomplish more. (August 29)
- The Practice of Stillness by Michael Hyatt
- The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in Daily Life by Fr. Kevin O’Brien, SJ
- 6 Reasons You Seriously Need to Slow Down by Frank Powell
See what I mean about being hit over the head with stillness and silence?! I’m not quite sure how all of this contemplation will fit in with growing a business, but I do plan on diving into The Ignatian Adventure book over the next several weeks and months. It will be interesting to see what fruit will come from this time. I know I won’t regret it!
What does re-charging daily look like for you?
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