Today we have Cyndie Spiegel on the podcast. We are talking about some difficult stuff, but it’s stuff that really needs to be brought out into the open. Cyndie drops some truth bombs and we talk about how we treat women in the online world and as small business owners, and how we can give and take criticism better.

Cyndie shares her “don’t, shouldn’t on yourself” philosophy, gives ideas for some collaborations and shares tips on how to make those go well. We also dive into how to deal with negative Nancies and how to get into the right mindset when dealing with the crappy emails, negative comments, and bad juju that we sometimes receive when putting ourselves and our business out there.

We focus on how to own your emotions and take control, which helps so tremendously when working from home and running these businesses by ourselves. Cyndie gives some incredible tips on how to get into positive, successful and actionable mindsets. So, if you are ready to face some hard questions, then this episode is right on time for you!

Today we are talking all about pricing, numbers, and figuring out what the heck to charge for the services that you offer and the products that you sell. We take on the topic with intense passion, so hold onto your socks, because you will hear exactly how we feel as the episode goes on. We get asked what to charge and what others would be willing to pay for it so often, and it’s an important issue to us!

We know a lot of you are floundering about with this whole pricing game. Do not fret — personally, this is the topic that brought Abagail and me together. It is one that we were both equally passionate about. We wanted to be able to illustrate a different side of pricing to creative entrepreneurs. You just have to get started. So buckle up as we dive into some of that strategy today and mindset that goes with it!

We are so excited to share our chat with Jessica Honegger, the founder of Noonday Collection, today. She is a completely amazing human being! She is a boss who truly understands the frustrations, the struggles, and the concerns that come with owning a business. In today’s episode, we talk about giving back with your business, ethical business practices, and the difference between that and fair trade. We even jump into some creativity hacks, and Abagail cries (so you know it’s gonna be good).  

In this episode, you are going to get a lot of great insight into growing and scaling a business. It’s going to get a little emotional, and I’m pretty sure you are going to walk away at the end of it with lots of goosebumps. There is no doubt you’re going to be fired up about making sure your business has a huge impact. We can’t wait for you to listen. This one’s going to be awesome!

Today we’re getting real with blogging. Every time I say the word “blog” I can see the cringe on people’s faces (yes, even through the computer screen). We get it, for some, it isn’t your favorite thing. That is A-okay. But you can’t just assume you are going to escape it. Today, we are going to talk to you about why it is important, how it has been super incremental to our personal growth, and our business growth and some hints and tips for you to make it a bit easier on yourself so you can enjoy it a little bit more.

People get caught up on wanting to see quick results. Like anything else, they think blogging is the quick way to see financial gain. However, blogging is not a get rich quick scheme. Blogging is a totally different world than it was five or 10 years ago. It’s an entirely different strategy with an entirely different marketing game plan, and in order to get paid from your blog, you have to have a different mindset. You must get in the mindset that blogging is 100%, straight up, no joke a long-term game. So if you are looking for some guidance and motivation to grow your blog, then this is the episode for you! Are you ready?

Today we are talking a lot about email marketing! Nathan Barry and the team at ConvertKit have definitely been a lifesaver for our business. They’ve helped us see radical growth since we’ve switched over. ConvertKit is an email marketing service for professional bloggers. Nathan’s background in the blogging world led him to build a tool to help other bloggers and entrepreneurs successfully build their audiences and grow their businesses. Understanding his own needs as a blogger, he went out and built a tool designed specifically for what he needed in his own life.  

So what makes Nathan such an email expert? Well, at ConvertKit they send about 150 million emails every month! That is absolutely bananas, and you can certainly see where his expertise comes from. So, if you want to build a tribe and sell products to serve that audience, then this episode is perfect for you. 

Getting paid to be creative is a myth. Lately, we’ve heard this phrase being tossed around a lot. Heck, we’ve even used this exact phrase to describe our journey ourselves. But the phrase isn’t really accurate. 
 
We aren’t getting paid to be creative. We’re getting paid because we are intellectual businesswomen. We take our business seriously and structure it to pay us. We are constantly strategizing new ways to bring in income and grow our business. We test new ways to market, make new sales processes, and offer new things in new ways. And we do it over and over again. So if you want to hear us bust the myth, then this episode is definitely for you! 

Wondering about how to rock it in your product based business? Well, then this is the episode for you. We are so excited to have Emily Ley from The Simplified Planner on the podcast today. She brings a fresh perspective, shares some incredible nuggets of wisdom and really dives into her ever-evolving business. We’re going to answer some of y’alls biggest burning questions about product based businesses, how they run and how they work.

You are going to hear about blogging for a product based business, the honest truth about wholesale, cash flow, predicting inventory, and seeking grace not perfection. So get ready, we’re going to get started!

We think a lot of people get surprised when they find out exactly how much stuff gets done over here at Think Creative Collective. We think you might be shocked by some of the hacks and the tricks that we implement in our everyday to stay on top of our goals, to make sure that our list gets done and of course so as not to get distracted. In this episode of The Strategy Hour Podcast, we’ll jump into the exact structure we use every morning that holds us accountable to getting stuff done. Plus, how we’re able to set up realistic expectations, not only for ourselves but for each other.