892: Burned Out or Ready to Grow? Your Top Questions on Branding, Hiring, and Scaling

25:41I didn't look at the hour I spent driving to the shoot, the hour I spent at the shoot, the hours I spent editing and delivering and all the other things. And so you want to make sure if you are going to turn your passion into your business, you have to price in a way that makes it feel worth it, that accounts for your precious time, and that makes it sustainable. So here's what I recommend. Start with your actual costs. So I used to forget to factor in things like shipping or packaging or the software I needed to deliver the galleries. And then I would wonder, okay, why is my profit disappearing?

26:14And so do not make that mistake. You want to look at your time, materials, software, energy, and yes, your profit, because this isn't just a hobby anymore. And then what I would do is spend maybe a day, sit down for some really focused time and just take a look around at what others are charging in your space, not to copy them, but basically to get a sense of where your work lives in the ecosystem. You don't need to be the cheapest in order to be valuable. In fact, I would say underpricing often can send the wrong message or connect you with like the wrong type of client. I mean, it's crazy, but I still remember the first time someone booked me for my wedding photography at full price.

26:55I was dancing around the kitchen in our little apartment. And then right away, I had this like doubt, this imposter syndrome creep in like, wait, did I accidentally overcharge them. But that one booking taught me something so valuable. If one person sees the value, let me tell you, there are more just like them out there. So your job isn't to lower your price to match expectations. It's to find the people who already value what you do. And to me, I have looked at that for every single offer. I'm like, if there is one person out there who will pay full price for this, there are more people just like them.

27:28How do I find those people? And lastly, what I would say is price for where you're going, not just where you are. You are building something that's growing. And so your prices can too. So I'll never forget this advice that I heard when I was a wedding photographer and somebody had said, every time I shoot a wedding, I can raise my rates, right? Cause I have more experience under my belt of a bigger portfolio. And so I always leveraged that and was able to raise my prices every wedding season because I was shooting 2025 weddings. Like I had way more experience and I had a way better portfolio. And so just consider like your pricing doesn't have to stay static.

28:05It can continue to grow with you. And also just keep in mind like real core economic principles of supply and demand that can also help you make sure that your prices are working with you and not against you. And then lastly, I just want to say this as an artist, people aren't just buying your art. They're buying how it makes them feel. They're buying your story, your style, in your heart. And that right there is something that you can't put in a spreadsheet. And so as you are looking at this and you're trying to value something that you create from like the purest place of creativity in your life, just know that like the people that get your art in their home are truly going to enjoy it on such a deep level and it is worth something super valuable.

28:44So basically don't undercharge. You're totally worth it. And I'm so excited for you. Let's take a real quick breather to thank the sponsors who helped bring this podcast to life week after week. And while we do, I want you to think about that one friend who's stuck in analysis paralysis. You know, the one who has been almost ready to launch for months. Share this episode with them because we're about to dive into the kind of clarity they really need to move forward with confidence. Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back. This podcast is brought to you by Mercury, banking that helps entrepreneurs do more with their money.

29:20Okay. I remember in the early days of my entrepreneurship journey, clients would literally mail me checks and then I would have to drive all the way to the bank to deposit them. It took me literal years to make things go digital and I am ashamed to admit I still have a filing cabinet with paper contracts because I'm way too afraid to throw them away. But that's the beauty of growth, right? You learn what systems serve you and which ones hold you back. Mercury is one of those systems that just works. Where traditional banking websites and apps are clunky and hard to use, Mercury is meticulously designed to make doing just about anything with your money feel effortless.

29:56And the best part is it flexes to fit all types of businesses. Ready to see what powerful banking can do for your business? Visit mercury.com to apply in minutes. Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. For important details, check the show notes. you know i only share stuff i'm genuinely obsessed with and so when i kept seeing bowl and branch sheets all over instagram i was like okay are these actually worth the hype drew and i have been using their sheets and duvets for over a year now and honestly our bedroom feels like a completely different space the moment you touch these sheets you'll get it they're incredibly soft to start but they literally get softer every time you wash them they're made from 100 % organic cotton so they're super durable and they're breathable which is perfect for piling on cozy layers without turning into a furnace at 2 a.m.

30:48This is hands down the best bedding I've slept on and I'm so genuinely excited for you to try it. Start building your sanctuary of comfort this fall with Bowl & Branch. For a limited time get 20 % off your first set of sheets plus free shipping at bolandbranch.com slash golddigger. That's bolandbranch, B-O-L-L-A-N-D branch.com slash golddigger to save 20 % and unlock free shipping. Exclusions apply. Hi, my name is Jess. I am in Orange County, California, and I'm a certified pediatric sleep consultant, but I'm also a certified health and nutrition coach. I've been struggling with integrating some of my health and nutrition knowledge into my pediatric sleep content, both in how to integrate it, but also how to get new moms, moms, current moms, old moms interested in that content.

31:47Hi, Jess. Okay. I love this question and I think it's super interesting. I also think it's so relevant for so many listeners because a lot of us are multi-passionate. We want to serve many different audiences. We have a lot of different knowledge or skill sets. We don't just want to put ourselves in a box. And so if you are listening to this episode and you have multiple passions and you serve multiple audiences with different offers, you might be struggling like Jess is to figure out like, how do these mix and how does this all make sense under one umbrella? So first, what I would say is you want to start with the overlap.

32:23So connect the dots on how nutrition supports sleep. Think like blood sugar crashes, caffeine, hydration, postpartum recovery, and help just figure out where is the intersection, if there is one, between your offers. If there is an intersection, think about how you can share that. And I would personally share it in storytelling. So I would use real mom scenarios to show how addressing nutrition makes a difference in sleep for both the baby and the mom, right? Because when I think back to those early days, sleep is like the only thing you want, right? And you will do anything and try anything to get good sleep.

33:02And so when you can tell stories, whether they're coming from your audience, coming from your own experience, or there's different ways that you can create stories that moms can relate to, like I'm thinking of one parenting account I follow. And it's like, you're three years old and you're trying to fall asleep. And it like paints this picture of a three-year-old. I think there's a lot of cool ways that you could wrap in your information into stories that people can see themselves in and relate to. I would also say like, if there's a way to make it feel like a bonus, because people might not know that they need this other thing that you offer, they might not even have an awareness around what it is, make it feel like a bonus.

33:41Frame the nutrition info as like extra support for tired moms. So it feels helpful and not like a total pivot for what you've been known for or what you're doing. And so think of it almost as people are going to come to you for what they know they want, and you're going to give them what they truly need. And I think that is the case for so many business owners who solve really interesting and unique problems. A lot of times our audiences don't even have an awareness around the fact that they need what it is we have. And so marketing comes into play of like, how do I share this in a way that really supports what they know they need?

34:18And then weave in the extra content, making it feel like a bonus and not confusion. And so that's what I would focus on. The last thing I'll say is you want to speak their language. Moms want solutions. They are so inundated with information, right? From Aunt Jan, who's telling you what she did with her kids to the random woman in the target parking lot, telling you what you're doing wrong. Like we get so much information. I think sometimes it is so overwhelming. And so what I would say is like, use the language that moms are using to describe their issues, not like your certified language, and then show how small shifts in whatever they're doing, whether it's nutrition or sleep can make a really big difference in how they feel.

35:03Most of us can identify like we want to feel energized. We want to feel strong. We want to feel vibrant. We want to feel healthy. And so you want to make sure that you're speaking to the core desires of your audience and not just shoving more information. Because I feel like information is something that we're either inundated with and overwhelmed with, or we save it and we say, we'll circle back for later. And most moms know we don't have the bandwidth or we don't even remember to circle back. Finally, make sure that you keep your umbrella wide. your brand, I truly believe can hold both of these ideas and these audiences.

35:37And so the goal here is to connect the dots clearly and confidently for your audience, just so that they can see almost that like Venn diagram of where the overlap happens and why it matters. And I think you will do amazing. Hi, Jenna, this is Krista from Ontario, Canada. I recently made a big pivot and I'm now a full-time content creator. The biggest struggle I'm facing is systems. I know I need to start an email list like yesterday and build a website, but I'm stuck in the content creation cycle, researching, scripting, and editing. It takes up all of my time. Do you have any advice for putting systems in place early on when you're doing everything yourself?

36:21Oh, do I have advice for this one? I was just laughing with my team the other day because at some point or another, I basically played every role on the team. And this summer, we're creating these different playbooks for the different areas of the business. And some of the areas I'm so well versed in, I could hop in and do a lot of the things I used to do. And other areas, I am like clueless around the current systems that we're using. And so when you are first starting out and you're doing everything yourself, my first piece of advice and the biggest one is get really good at one thing. Focus on mastering one platform, one workflow first, like build an entire rhythm around it before jumping into everything at once.

37:02I think what happens is, is that entrepreneurs get really excited. They hear that they need to do all the things they try to show up in all the places and then they have one inconsistent day and it all falls off the wagon. And so one thing that I did really well is I was like, okay, I'm going to post on Facebook every single day. And I created this rhythm around it and I created a system around it. And then I was like, all right, now I'm going to post a blog post. Okay. Now that I've got this down, now I'm going to scoot to Instagram. And so get really good at mastering one platform or workflow, create a rhythm around it, and then move on to the next one.

37:35So the big thing here is create repeatable systems. When things are repeatable and predictable, you will stay consistent. And so once you've got your flow document, what is this process? Look at the steps that you're repeating. Like for me, let's just say for this podcast, for example, we outline, we script, and then we publish a show. And so all of the different areas of my business, especially right now, we are creating checklists, playbooks, and templates. And so what's amazing about that is oftentimes when you create a system around a platform or a process, you can take pieces of that and apply it to the next thing you take on, right?

38:10Like even across social media platforms, yes, each platform works a little bit differently, But once you create a flow and a system, you can kind of rinse and repeat other aspects of that or find ways to repurpose what you're already creating for one place and use it in other places. Now, one of the things that I adopted way too late in my career that I want to save you from making the same mistake that I did is I avoided using any sort of tools to stay organized. I did not have a project management software. I was not tracking things. Everything was like living in my brain, which was the busiest place to live in, which was why I was like dropping balls.

38:46And so we love a platform called monday.com. If you go to Jenna loves monday.com, you can kind of see how we use it and what we do, but we have used it for the last six plus years. And this is where we map out content, where we track our tasks. It's where my weekly to-do list lives. It's where my team tasks me with different projects. It's also basically a repository of all of our assets in my business. So if you ask me right now, Jenna, can you find your freebie for your Pinterest program from 2022? I could actually find that for you. So if you are someone who is not organized, having something like monday.com again, Jenna loves monday.com is absolutely amazing.

39:27It will change your life. And if in the future you do decide to hire someone on in a team, you have a process and a system that you can pass over and you have organization that is so invaluable. The last thing I'll say is you want to batch and theme your work. So if you're feeling overwhelmed or you're doing all the things, figure out if and how you could separate different pieces of your work to have that clarity and that deep focus. So let's say if you're doing content planning, separate that from the actual creation, then separate that from the editing and separate that from the publishing.

40:00However, you can break things up so you have a little bit of space from projects and you can step away and come back to them. I truly believe it protects your energy and keeps you out of decision fatigue. And one final thing as a bonus, I would say what you want to do, especially if you are a solopreneur, is build now for what's coming next. The more systems you create right now, the easier it'll be to hand things off later. I promise you your future self and your future team will thank you for putting structure into place while you're doing it all yourself. you do not want all of your systems and knowledge to live in your brain only you want to create things that you can eventually hand off and so the more that you can do that right now the better it will be in the future and i promise you it will make a massive difference hi jenna my name is andrea and i'm calling in from bucharest romania and the question i submitted was how to market a service that my ideal client doesn't know exists and doesn't realize is the solution to their problem?

41:02Okay, we kind of touched on this above, but I want to dive way deeper on this. So first, you want to start with a problem that your audience does know. Speak to what is currently keeping them up at night, not your solution. Like a lot of times as entrepreneurs, we just keep throwing our solution out there. Here's our solution. Here's our solution. Here's our solution. We're so excited about it, right? But they might not even know your product or your service or your offer exists, but most people absolutely know how it feels to feel stuck or overwhelmed or questioning or feel burnt out, right? And so you want to catch them where their reality is right now.

41:40What you need to do here again is sell people what they think they need, right? A lot of times people want to be sold the sexy and the shiny options, but your real opportunity here is to swoop in and serve them with what they truly need, which might be something they don't even know they need yet. This is one of the best kept secrets in marketing. If somebody's asking for a quick fix, meet them there, right? Like give them that quick win, that solution, but then guide them to the deeper transformation that your offer delivers. The other thing I would say is that if you are dealing with this, one of the best ways to reach your audience is to educate through stories and not focus so much on the offer itself.

42:24A lot of times we get so obsessed with the features of our offers because we're so excited about them, right? This is a five module course and a 30 page workbook and all these things. That does not matter at all. If somebody doesn't understand the transformation that you're going to give them, whether it's through a product, a service or an offer. And so using stories that your audience can relate to, that they can see themselves in is a really easy way to do this through marketing. So you can share simple client wins. You can share moments of insight, like light bulb moments. You can share before and after snapshots.

42:56The goal here is to help people see themselves in the story and realize, oh my gosh, that's me. That's what I've been missing. And then finally, what I would say is you want to position your offer as the missing link. You don't have to explain every step of your method. And in fact, I would say, don't do that. Just show someone how it bridges the gap between where they are and where they want to be. When you can lead with results and not just like your resume, people care way more about the transformation than the title. So paint the picture of what their life or their business could look like after working with you or buying from you and let that do the heavy lifting.

43:33I'll never forget. There's a story of somebody going shopping for a car and they pull up into the lot and the car salesman just starts batting off different features of random cars and he never stops to ask the person like, what are you actually looking for? What are you happy about with your current car? What do you wish was different? And so it's like one of those moments where I think as marketers, we're often like that car salesman where we're just screaming out, but look at the air conditioning and this sunroof and check this feature out. And it's like, we haven't even taken a minute to ask the person, what do you want?

44:03Why are you here? What are you struggling with? What do you wish was easy to solve? And so that's where I want us to pivot that idea. Hang tight. We're going to take a quick pause to shout out the amazing sponsors who make this show possible. And while we do, I want for you to think of someone in your life, whether it's a fellow creative or an entrepreneur who's been wrestling with how to show up authentically online, take a second and send this episode their way because the next question we're unpacking touches on something I know so many of us struggle with, how to market yourself without losing yourself.

44:34More on that in just a sec. When we were young, we dreamed of castles and fairy tales. And as we grow up, those dreams might shift into building something real, like starting a business. You need a website, payment systems, a logo, and a way to reach customers. It can all be overwhelming and confusing, but thankfully that's where today's sponsor Shopify comes in. Shopify powers millions of businesses around the world and 10 % of all U.S. e-commerce, from big brands to folks just getting started. They offer beautiful, ready-to-go website templates so you don't need design skills to look professional.

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45:46Anyone who knows me knows that I'm all about creating spaces where people actually want to be. So when we started hosting on Airbnb, it honestly felt like the most natural thing in the world. And it's turned into one of the best decisions we've ever made. Over the years, we've hosted hundreds of couples in our little spaces. we've had so many repeat guests come back and we've created this incredible community not just with our guests but also with the people who help us care for our space. Whether you've bought properties as an investment or have unused rooms waiting to be shared hosting on Airbnb is a practical and profitable choice.

46:20And just think about it if you've put a ton of time, effort and work into your home someone out there probably would love to experience it while they're traveling. So next time you're planning a trip or want to make some extra income from your spaces you should definitely host on Airbnb. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. Hi, Jenna. This is Stephanie calling from Pennsylvania. And my biggest question right now is differentiating myself as Stephanie the brand versus Stephanie's business brand. Should I focus on me, myself, and my brand or build a business and have it kind of be two different brands?

47:10So a few years ago, I would have unapologetically told you, you, Stephanie, are the brand. Your life is your content. And back then, that was entirely true for me. And it's really interesting because even if I listen back to old episodes, I believed that at the core of my being. And for a lot of people, that can absolutely work. It's not a broken idea. It just doesn't resonate with me any longer. And I just feel differently now because I think you can get a lot of gray lines in your life when you are not differentiating where the brand ends and the business begins and where your life gets to be just yours.

47:49And if you've followed me for a long time, you might've noticed in recent years, especially I've gotten way more private. Like I put boundaries up around what I'm willing to share, how I'm willing to share it, where my life and my content begin and end and what I'm comfortable with. And I think for me, that just came from being a mom, tuning into like what feels aligned. And also just what am I willing to let people talk about in my life? If I don't want criticism on a certain aspect of my life, then I'm just not going to share that part of my life anymore, right? Like there are areas of my life that are so sacred that I don't want to let strangers into is essentially what it comes down to.

48:27And so what I would say is get super clear on your boundaries. Ask yourself what parts of your life feel really good to share? What feels too sacred to share? And know that that line might shift over time. But I think that really sitting down and defining it helps you show up with intention and not feel like you're just obligated to share everything, right? Like there sincerely was a time in my life where I shared pretty much everything with the internet. And I was very open and I loved that part of things. But especially in motherhood, I feel like just my privacy and my desire for there to be clear, defined lines between my business and my life, that's changed.

49:06And so what I will say is you can still be the brand without sharing everything. People connect with your energy, not your every detail. Like you can be the face, you can be the voice, you can be the heart without feeling like you're fully exposed, like you're standing on the internet naked, right? Like I keep joking, but I'm like, I don't want to be 50 and sharing what I eat for breakfast on the internet. Like that is not the vision that I have for myself and my future. And so when you can create clarity between your brand and your business, I think that is where real freedom is. And I think that also gives you space and permission to set your phone down and log off without feeling like you're missing something that you could share with the world.

49:42And one thing I think is really important is even if your name is tied to it, think about what the business offers that's separate from you. Like for me, that thought alone of like, here's what my business offers. This is totally standalone for me as a human being. This helps me answer questions. If I ever am thinking of like scaling, hiring, or even stepping back a bit is like really thinking about like, what are my offers? What am I putting out there? And then like, where does that intersect with who I am as a person. The cool thing is, is like, even in this answer, I'm talking about how I evolved.

50:16Like I have changed so much in my opinion and my stance on this. And so I just want to say same thing with this. It is okay. If what worked for you two years ago, doesn't feel aligned today. I think for me personally, it's never been a step back. I think it's been personal growth for me. And what's cool is, is that your audience will evolve with you when you invite them into that shift. And like, for example, I stopped sharing my kids' faces online a few years ago. And I just brought up like the decision and why and why it matters to me. And people received it. And at first I got a lot of questions and over time, like people don't even ask about it anymore.

50:53And so you don't have to choose a hard split like I have, but you do deserve a sense of separation. And what I think is amazing about entrepreneurship is that your business can reflect your values without requiring your full personal identity every single time you show up. To me, that is where sustainability lives when we're talking about a personal brand. Hi, Jenna. My name is Megan Shunsi from Omaha, Nebraska. I am the founder, owner, and operator of The Grove Juicery, a plant-based health food cafe and market with three locations in our Omaha area. As we continue to grow, I have been looking at other markets, and we have had multiple people interested in investing, partnering, and owning a Grove juicery themselves.

51:39So my question is, when deciding to scale, what are some key factors to really focus in on when looking for the right partners, investors, and, of course, the age-old question in this industry, to franchise or not to franchise? so here's maybe my unpopular opinion I ask this question all the time and the question is is bigger actually better for me I feel like and this happens a lot when I watch Shark Tank and I'll see companies go on and they found like awesome success and then they're like I want to scale this or I want to franchise this I feel like people get so high on this idea of growth because growth sounds so exciting.

52:26But what I think they're missing is like divided focus brings diluted results. And often expanding can stretch your time, your team, and your peace. And so where I would start with my answer is how can you get super honest about what success looks like for you, not just what's possible or what others expect. I think everything is possible. That is just the lens that I look at life with. Like, of course I could scale this. Of course I could do this. Do I want to do it? Does that feel successful to me? And so when you can get crystal clear on your vision, I think it answers a lot of those big questions, right?

53:03Like, do you want to be the face of a boutique brand with tight control? Or do you want to be the founder of a nationally recognized model? Your clarity in answering questions like this will shape everything from hiring to franchising decisions. And I think that this is where you could even use chat GPT to say, ask me the heavy hitting questions that I might not have even considered or might not be thinking about to help guide my path forward. Like for real, sometimes it can really come at you and ask some of those questions that are scary, but that like people in your life might be afraid to ask.

53:36I will also say one of the biggest things I would consider is how can you protect your reputation before you multiply it? So when I think of scaling, I think about how scaling amplifies literally everything, both the good and the gaps. So talking about things like systems, training, quality control, these need to be airtight before you hand your brand to someone else. And then lastly, I would say choose partners based on values, not just dollars. The right partner should feel like an extension of your culture and vision. And so ask like, would I trust them to make decisions without me in the room?

54:11I think that's a huge way to figure out who the right partner is for you. So what I would do is I would test out things in a small way and then scale. So pilot one location with a super strong operator or test out a licensing model before jumping into a full franchise. That data gives you insight into whether your concept is scalable and sustainable. So I hope this helps answer your question, but the biggest one I would say is bigger actually better for me. All right. What an amazing lineup of questions today. These were so good. They were honest and insightful and full of the kind of stuff that we all wrestle with behind the scenes.

54:46And I personally, I love hearing your voices and diving into the real decisions that shape not just our businesses, but our lives. If you found yourself nodding along or thinking, I've got a question too, here is my invitation to you. Call me. Like seriously, whether it's a business strategy, whether it's something about boundaries or burnout or confidence or clarity, whatever is on your heart, ask it. I would love to hear it. All you have to do is leave me a voicemail at 218-203-9660. Tell me your name, where you're calling from, and then ask your question. And you never know, you might hear your voice on a future episode.

55:22Thank you so much for being here, for being a part of this community, for doing the work, for asking the questions and building something that truly matters. and I have somebody in here to help me finish out this episode because we are about to go to the beach. So Coco, what do we always say at the end? Until next time, keep on digging your biggest goals. Good job. Coco, where are we headed? To the beach. All right. Have fun, Gold Diggers. Thanks for listening to this episode. Bye. Thanks for pulling up a seat for another episode of the Gold Digger Podcast. I hope today's episode fueled you with inspiration, gave you information that you can turn into action and realigned you with your true north in life and business.

56:06If you've enjoyed today's episode, head on over to golddiggerpodcast.com for today's show notes, discount codes for our sponsors, freebies to fuel your results, and so much more. And if you haven't yet, make sure you're subscribed so that you never miss a future show. We'll see you next time, Gold Diggers. Thank you.