852: From Health to Hiring: Ask Me Anything About Scaling, Criticism, and Energy

Summary

Episode Summary: The Goal Digger Podcast - Episode 852: From Health to Hiring: Ask Me Anything About Scaling, Criticism, and Energy

In Episode 852 of The Goal Digger Podcast, host Jenna Kutcher engages with her audience through an engaging Ask Me Anything (AMA) format. This special episode delves into a range of topics that resonate with entrepreneurs and business owners, including scaling businesses, handling criticism, maintaining energy, and balancing personal health. Below is a detailed summary of the key discussions, insights, and conclusions drawn from the episode.

---

1. Scaling Your Business and Hiring the First Team Member

Caller: Beck Meth from Martinsburg, West Virginia

Key Discussion: Beck inquires about the optimal first hire when scaling a business. Jenna emphasizes the importance of delegating to reclaim time and focus on strategic tasks.

Notable Quote:

"The first person that I think every entrepreneur should hire would be a virtual assistant... It allows you to start to see the spaces in your business where you can outsource the things, you can start to let go of the ways that you can relinquish controlling every single thing." (05:34)

Insights:

• Start with a Virtual Assistant: Handles administrative tasks like email management, bookkeeping, and social media, freeing up the entrepreneur for deeper work.
• Identify Repetitive Tasks: Systems should be created around tasks you perform repeatedly, paving the way for future delegation or process optimization.
• Community Resources: Utilize platforms like the Goal Digger Podcast community on Facebook for hiring support and finding team members.

---

2. Transitioning from Trading Time for Money in Service-Based Businesses

Caller: Karen Shpitko, Pilates Instructor from Stowe, Vermont

Key Discussion: Karen seeks strategies to move beyond one-on-one services where income is directly tied to time spent, aiming to create passive revenue streams without compromising personal connections.

Notable Quote:

"You could do a membership site. You could do a course of, like, Intro to Pilates. You could do a course on how you've created this secret sauce... create a value ladder of other opportunities for people to learn from you, work with you, get inspired by you at different price points." (08:19)

Insights:

• Diversify Offerings: Introduce online courses, challenges, guides, and membership sites to generate revenue beyond one-on-one sessions.
• Maintain Relationship Quality: Ensure that high-touch services remain premium while introducing scalable products.
• Value Ladder Strategy: Create a structured path for clients to engage with your offerings at various levels, enhancing accessibility and revenue potential.

---

3. Jenna's Health Routine Updates

Caller: Brooke from St. Louis

Key Discussion: Brooke asks Jenna about recent changes in her health regimen. Jenna shares her evolved approach to health, emphasizing consistency and integrating wellness seamlessly into her daily routine.

Notable Quote:

"Every day I walk for about 30 minutes. I walk at an incline. I've been doing more weightlifting. I'm trying P.volve... I have a little desk that goes on my treadmill, but every day I walk for about 30 minutes." (11:12)

Insights:

• Consistency is Key: Transitioning from sporadic workouts to a daily routine enhances overall well-being.
• Integrate Fitness into Daily Activities: Using tools like treadmill desks allows for multitasking without sacrificing workout time.
• Embrace New Practices: Experimenting with different fitness programs (e.g., P.volve) can keep the regimen interesting and effective.
• Holistic Health Practices: Incorporating practices like cold plunging, sauna sessions, and mindful habits contribute to sustained health improvements.

---

4. Handling Negative Feedback and Criticism

Caller: Melissa Henning Frank from Saukville, Wisconsin

Key Discussion: Melissa seeks advice on managing negative feedback related to her podcast. Jenna discusses building resilience and discerning constructive criticism from unproductive negativity.

Notable Quote:

"If you are getting negative feedback or criticism, congratulations. You're likely doing something that is hard or challenging and I commend you for that." (20:03)

Insights:

• Constructive vs. Unconstructive Criticism: Evaluate whether feedback offers actionable insights or is merely negative noise.
• Emotional Resilience: Develop a thicker skin over time, allowing you to process criticism without personal distress.
• Continuous Improvement: Use constructive feedback to refine your work and enhance your offerings.
• Avoid Paralysis by Criticism: Ensure that negative feedback doesn't hinder your ability to create and share your work with your audience.

---

5. Setting Boundaries During Maternity Leave

Caller: Allison Caffrey from Colorado Springs, Colorado

Key Discussion: Allison asks about establishing boundaries while taking maternity leave to balance business continuity and family time. Jenna shares her approach to preparing in advance to create a stress-free leave.

Notable Quote:

"I helped prep content for the podcast for three months, for email, for the blog... I did not need to come online or lift up my head or do anything I didn't want to do." (24:31)

Insights:

• Advance Preparation: Organize and schedule content and essential tasks well before taking leave to minimize the need for involvement during the period.
• Set Clear Expectations: Communicate with your team about your availability and establish boundaries to protect personal time.
• Flexibility: Allow yourself the option to engage with work if desired, without pressure, maintaining a balance between business and family.
• Self-Care and Presence: Prioritize being present with your family, reducing work-related stress by ensuring business operations run smoothly in your absence.

---

6. Insights on Masterminds

Caller: Katie from Kansas City

Key Discussion: Katie inquires about the structure and dynamics of masterminds. Jenna explains the typical format, emphasizing collaboration, accountability, and the diversity of interactions within the group.

Notable Quote:

"One of the magical things about masterminds is the conversations that happen naturally when things aren't being facilitated." (29:26)

Insights:

• Structured Yet Flexible: Masterminds often span two to three days with a mix of facilitated sessions and organic interactions.
• Hot Seats: Provide individual opportunities for members to present challenges, receiving tailored advice and support from the group.
• Diverse Topics: Sessions can cover a wide range of subjects, from marketing strategies to personal development, depending on the group's needs.
• Community Building: Informal gatherings during mastermind events foster deep relationships and ongoing collaboration beyond the formal setting.
• Accountability: Regular goal-setting and follow-ups ensure members stay committed to their objectives, enhancing personal and professional growth.

---

7. Selling Bite-sized Courses

Caller: Lissy from Edmond, Oklahoma

Key Discussion: Lissy seeks strategies to effectively market and sell multiple bite-sized courses without overwhelming her audience. Jenna offers guidance on creating a coherent value ladder and clear communication.

Notable Quote:

"Think through some of those questions that your ideal audience might be asking and how you can answer them before they ever ask them." (42:29)

Insights:

• Value Ladder Creation: Design a structured pathway for customers to progress through courses logically, ensuring each step builds on the previous one.
• Clear Differentiation: Clearly define each course's purpose, target audience, and outcomes to help customers choose the right path.
• Strategic Launching: Schedule course launches thoughtfully to maintain awareness without causing choice paralysis.
• Effective Communication: Utilize quizzes, landing pages, and tailored copy to guide customers towards the most suitable course for their needs.
• Simplify Choices: Avoid overwhelming potential customers by providing clear, concise information that facilitates decision-making.

---

8. Getting Others to Buy into a Big Vision

Caller: Jennifer Galicia, Flower Farmer and Podcaster from Hood River, Oregon

Key Discussion: Jennifer asks how to garner support and buy-in for a grand vision that others may initially find hard to understand. Jenna emphasizes authenticity and selective communication.

Notable Quote:

"The vision was given to you for a reason... It is up to you to really differentiate. Is it worth your breath and your energy to help them to understand?" (46:06)

Insights:

• Authentic Communication: Share your vision passionately with those who are genuinely interested and supportive.
• Selective Sharing: Focus your efforts on explaining your vision to key stakeholders who can contribute positively, rather than trying to convince everyone.
• Self-Validation: Recognize that not everyone needs to understand your vision for it to be valid and impactful.
• Resilience Against Doubt: Let go of negative voices and maintain focus on your goals, allowing your work to speak for itself.
• Build a Supportive Network: Surround yourself with individuals who believe in you and can offer constructive feedback, enhancing your journey toward realizing your vision.

---

Conclusion

Episode 852 of The Goal Digger Podcast offers invaluable insights for entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of scaling businesses, managing personal well-being, and maintaining resilience in the face of criticism. Jenna Kutcher's thoughtful responses provide actionable advice tailored to various aspects of business and personal growth, reinforcing the podcast's mission to redefine success and empower listeners to achieve their boldest dreams.

---

Key Takeaways:

• Delegate Early: Hiring a virtual assistant can significantly streamline business operations.
• Diversify Income Streams: Incorporate scalable products to reduce dependence on time-for-money models.
• Prioritize Health: Consistent and integrated health routines enhance productivity and well-being.
• Embrace Constructive Criticism: Use feedback to foster growth while maintaining emotional resilience.
• Plan Maternity Leave Thoughtfully: Advance preparation ensures business continuity and personal fulfillment.
• Leverage Masterminds: Engage in collaborative environments to gain support, accountability, and diverse perspectives.
• Clarify Course Offerings: Structured value ladders and clear communication aid in effectively selling multiple courses.
• Stay Authentic: Focus on sharing your vision with supportive audiences to build genuine buy-in.

---

For more insights and detailed discussions, visit goaldiggerpodcast.com and explore additional resources, show notes, and upcoming episodes.

Transcript

[Jenna Kutcher]

If I told you that you could give me $1 today and tomorrow, I'd hand you back 42, would you do it? Well, that's what an email list can do for you. Let me cut to the chase. You need to start an email list this year.

[Unknown]

Just think of where you could be.

[Jenna Kutcher]

After a whole entire year of you growing and serving it.

[Unknown]

And that's why I'm here. I want to make sure you know.

[Jenna Kutcher]

That the doors of my signature program that will teach you how to start, grow, serve and sell to an email list are closing soon. The List to Launch Lab is waiting for [e-mail] email. You are one smart, savvy business owner.

[Unknown]

So you know building a rock solid.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Email list is a must for anyone trying to start, grow or scale their business in the midst of whatever life has in store for us this year. Don't waste any more time doubting your.

[Unknown]

Tech skills or let the confusion of.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Something new keep you stuck. Don't battle algorithms or spend time only growing on platforms you're renting space from. It is time for you to build an asset that you own and can control and I will walk you through exactly how to do it step by step by step.

[Unknown]

Head to jennacutcher.com email now and let's.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Start building your business marketing on something rock solid. That's jennacutcher.com forward slash email. If you are getting negative feedback or criticism, congratulations. You're likely doing something that is hard or challenging and I commend you for that. And you get to choose the role that it plays in your life and how you handle that. And so hopefully you got something out of this. I'm Jenna Kutcher, your host of the Goal Digger podcast.

[Unknown]

I escaped the corporate world at the.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Age of 23 with nothing more than a $300 camera from Craigslist and a dream.

[Unknown]

Now I'm running a seven figure online.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Business that feels even better than it looks. All from my house in small town Minnesota with my family here, we value time as our currency. We mix the woo and the work.

[Unknown]

And we in the pursuit of building.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Businesses that give us the freedom to live lives that we love. I've always loved turning big goals into reality and I'm here to help you do the same. This isn't just a peek behind the curtain. Come along with me and my guests as we tear the whole curtain down. Every week we tackle practical no fluff marketing strategies and host honest discussions on what works and what doesn't. Join me and my expert guests for actionable insights to help you grow your dream business with confidence. Pull up a seat and get ready to be challenged, inspired and empowered. This is the Goal Digger Podcast. Today's episode is extra special because it's all about you. That's right, this is an ask Me Anything episode where I'm answering your questions straight from the voicemails you left me. Now, I love connecting with this community in new ways and this format is such a fun way to do that. You all ask some amazing questions about everything from scaling your business and building a team to navigating work, work, life, balance and health and dealing with criticism. Your curiosity and creativity blow me away every single time and I'm so honored to dig into these topics with you today. So you're going to hear your fellow Gold Diggers voices throughout this episode and I'll tackle their questions one by one. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just getting started, I promise there is something here for everyone and I'm going to be answering these totally off the cuff, zero prep involved. Now here's the best part about this. The fun is just beginning. My hope is to answer your questions every single month. So if you've got a question, dial 218-203-9660 and leave me a voicemail with your name, your title and ask away with your question again. That's 218-203-9660. Your voice can be featured in an upcoming episode of the Gold Digger Podcast. I've also included the number in the show notes and episode description for easy access. And honestly, I cannot wait to hear from you. So grab a cup of coffee, pop in those earbuds and let's dive on into this super special Ask Me Anything edition of the Gold Digger Podcast.

[Unknown]

Hey marketers, quick question. When was the last time you actually enjoyed marketing? If you're feeling overwhelmed juggling content creation, lead generation, campaign tracking and analytics, let me introduce you to a game changer, HubSpot. HubSpot combines the power of marketing hub and content hub and it's all enhanced by Breeze, their built in AI. Imagine taking just one piece of content and instantly remixing it for every channel. Imagine identifying your best leads with AI powered scoring and having crystal clear analytics that simplify your reporting. HubSpot makes it easy to double your leads in just 12 months. We're talking about 192% boost in web traffic, 46% more deals closed, and 31% more deals created it all in one platform. Stop spreading yourself thin and start seeing big results. Visit HubSpot.com forward/ marketers to get started for free. With HubSpot, you can reconnect with what you love most about marketing, being creative, building relationships, and most importantly, seeing results. That's HubSpot.com forward slash marketers.

[Caller]

Hi, this is Beck Meth from Martinsburg, West Virginia. And I'm calling because I wanted to know, when you scale your business and you start growing your team, who who is the best team member to hire first?

[Jenna Kutcher]

Hey Beck, I love this question. First off, congratulations on growing something that you are scaling. The thought of growing your team is very intimidating. I wrote an entire chapter about this in my book called how are you really? About how I was just straight up white knuckling my business for so long. I was convinced that I had to and could do it all. And it works for a while until it just doesn't. And the first person that I think every entrepreneur should hire would be a virtual assistant. I think that it is the perfect position to hire because it allows you to start to see the spaces in your business where you can outsource the things, you can start to let go of the ways that you can relinquish controlling every single thing. And it allows you to get back into the deep work. So a lot of the things that you can outsource to a virtual assistant is some of the busy work that is absolutely required in running a business. So things like email management, bookkeeping, data entry, appointment setting management, whether it's like calendar management or helping manage with social media. And so one of the things, even if you're listening to this and you're like, I am not in a position to hire. I'm not even thinking about hiring. It's not even on your radar. Pay attention in your business to when you are doing something more than once. If you are doing something in a repeated way, that is a very good signifier that you could create a system or a process around it. And even if you're not in a position to hire yet, creating a system or a process around those repeated tasks then will give you the ability to someday hand that off to somebody else or to just streamline and make your business more efficient. So I would absolutely say a virtual assistant. I know a ton of listeners who, who have found their virtual assistants or their Pinterest managers or their social media managers or their brand photographers inside of our Gold Digger podcast community, which is on Facebook. So if you need help, you can always go there. We do different hiring posts where people can share what they're hiring for or who they're looking to hire, but I would definitely start with a virtual assistant. I think it's the best way to have somebody part time to start to feel the freedom of letting go of some of those things that you've been managing on your own and to start to understand how it looks like to manage somebody else, which I think is sometimes one of the harder things about hiring. Okay, let's dive in into the next question.

[Caller]

Hi Jenna, this is Karen Shpitko. I'm a Pilates instructor and the owner of Curated Pilates and Movement in Stowe, Vermont. My question is how to stop only trading time for money when your secret ingredient is in the one to one relationship.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Oh, Karen, this is a juicy question and I love that you're thinking about this. I think there are so many people in positions like you who are running service based businesses who can't really see how there's any sort of possibility in creating something that allows you to create something once and to continue to drive revenue from it. Especially when you are so focused on relationships. And guess what? I love one to one relationships. I think there's something super powerful. So if what you're doing is working for you, that's amazing. But one thing I want to remind you is at some point you're going to have a realization of like, if I don't show up, I don't get paid. And no matter who we are and where we are and what we do, there will be times in our lives where it's impossible to show up. And so that can be a really sobering reality of like, I've built something super successful but it can cannot run while I rest. And so as a Pilates instructor, I can think of a bunch of different things that you could do that would allow you to still have the powerful one to one relationships that you have, but also have a few other different pillars and ways to drive revenue. So you could do at home Pilates videos where you could just do like a seven day Pilates challenge that people could pay 30, 40, 50 bucks for. Where they could have those videos, they can do it all the time. You could create different guides, you could do different affiliate plays where you're sharing your favorite Pilates equipment or your favorite Pilates app, or your favorite Pilates gear that people wear. And so you don't have to think in terms of like, you need to end what you're doing and the magic that you have. But I would say that the one to one relationship piece of your business that is the most premium offer you offer and not everybody out there is going to be able to afford it. So how can you make what you do more accessible for people, whether they want to stay home and do Pilates, whether they don't live in Vermont? And so thinking through different ways. So easy ways would just be doing some online videos that people could join. You could do a membership site. You could do a course of, like, Intro to Pilates. You could do a course on how you've created this secret sauce and what you do as a Pilates instructor that makes your business super successful. You can do affiliate links and codes to things that you love. So there are just a lot of different options for you. And again, it's not saying that you need to lose the magic of the one to one, but that should be your most premium offer. And how could we create almost a value ladder of other opportunities for people to learn from you, work with you, get inspired by you at different price points? Let's move on to the next question.

[Caller]

Hey, Jenna, It's Brooke from St. Louis. My question is, what, if anything, has changed about your health routine? Anything new that you're trying or really loving or anything that you've gotten rid of?

[Jenna Kutcher]

Oh, okay. I love a good, juicy health question. And I am somebody who is obsessed with hearing about other people's health routines. I just. I love hearing what's working for others, Other people. So what's been really interesting is, is I would say that I got very serious about my health about three years ago. So when Quinn was just a few months old, when I was really preparing for a book launch and nursing a baby and chasing a toddler, I just really recognize, like, I need to have energy to live the type of life I want. And what's been really interesting is, is I went from somebody who was not at all consistent to being one of the most consistent people I know when it comes to health. And I often try to reverse engineer how that even happened, because now I've become the type of person who my priority is, like, I just need to get a workout in today. Like, last weekend, I was telling Drew, like, hey, you go get your workout in, and then I'm gonna go in and get mine in. And it was so weird to me because I did a flashback in my brain of, like, I used to hate working out. It was the last thing I did. It was the last thing on my to do list. I was lucky if I worked out two days a week. And now it's, like, nearly every day, and it's not at all obsessive. For me, most days when I'm working out, I'm walking on my treadmill. So I try to walk on my treadmill for 30 minutes a day. A lot of times I'll respond to voice messages so my best friends will get me where I'm slightly winded. I'm on the treadmill, but I'm chatting with them. I'll watch trashy TV shows that Drew will not watch with me. So shout out to the Real Housewives, I love you, or I'll get work done. So I have a little desk that goes on my treadmill, but every day I walk for about 30 minutes. I walk at an incline. I've been doing more weightlifting. I'm trying p volve. I'm not totally sold on it yet, but I kept getting ads for it and I was like, you know what? I'll give it a try. It looks interesting. It looks like kind of a mix of Pilates. There's different tools trying that. I love Melissa Wood Health's app. I love her workouts. I feel really strong and tight after those. And then when it comes to just daily overall habits, like, even this morning, I'm looking on my desk right now. I have a 30 gram protein shake that I had this morning for breakfast. This one is Pioneer Pastures. They recently got stocked at Target, and my friend Kelly Levesque, who's a nutritionist, sent me a text because I'm like, I just need easy protein. And so I have a protein shake every morning. I make sure I get in 30 grams of protein. I sauna every single day. I cold plunge every single day. I have literally been so consistent over the last two years. I haven't missed a day of getting into my cold plunge since we built our home, which is pretty impressive. I lay on my PMF mat, I use my red light. And so I've just kind of baked those things in throughout my day and I haven't stacked them so that it doesn't feel like it takes up a lot of time. In fact, I kind of just have it as a part of my routine and as somebody with adhd, I love to be moving throughout my house during the day. And so that is also super helpful. One thing that I've added as a new thing that I'm loving and I can't imagine my life without is mouth taping, which is so weird. I'm sure maybe you've seen it online where people literally tape their mouth shut at bedtime when they sleep to have them breathe through their nose. And it's interesting Because I thought I would never be able to do it because I have a cyst on one of my sinuses, and I've just never gotten it taken care of. And so when I first tried mouth taping, I literally felt like I was suffocating. Like, it actually made me very claustrophobic, and I couldn't do it. And then when I slowly learned how to regulate my nervous system and I would just put the tape on right before I was falling asleep as I was reading my Kindle. Now it makes such a difference. I am sleeping so much better. I'm not waking up with dry mouth every 30 minutes and taking sips of water in the middle of the night. It has been such a game changer. And I just buy cheap mouth tape on Amazon. Like, I don't have any fancy one. I don't have any affiliate link. I just buy this, like, cheap one that it looks like an X so that you can still kind of breathe through the sides if you need to. And the reason I like that one is because my kids often will need me in the middle of the night, and it's really hard if you can't talk to them because your mouth is taped shut. So mouth taping has been an absolute game changer for me when it comes to health anything I've gotten rid of. So, unfortunately, I need to get back on this habit. I used to be really, really, really consistent about meditating. And I would use this meditation ball that would vibrate in my hands that would just help my brain not be going in a million directions. And I just got out of that habit. Truth be told, I think I lost the charger, and it just kind of fell off of my habits. But it's something I want to get back on. So I feel like I haven't been great at meditating. And the only other thing I haven't been great at is we've been trying to eat dinner earlier. We got into this habit of putting our kids to bed and then us as adults eating dinner together. And I love it for certain reasons. Like, I feel like it's a little less chaotic. We get to focus on the kids, the kids get to eat. We're, like, more available for conversations. We're not running around as much. But sometimes that makes us eat pretty late because our kids kind of can push their bedtime sometimes. And so we've been trying to eat earlier, and that's kind of an area that we're working on as well. So I always love the health questions. I think it's great One other thing that I'm loving is weighted vests. I've been wearing weighted vests on the treadmill and I feel like that's a really easy way to get a little extra strength and get a little bit of extra weight on your bones. But otherwise I've just been really consistent. So if you want to listen to any past health episodes, 95 of what I've talked about in the past is still very true in my life and I'm just really consistent with it right now and it feels really good for me. Minnesota winters are not my skin's best friend. The freezing wind outside, the Sahara level dryness indoors will make anyone's skin cry for help. But I found a little miracle in a jar. It's called Osea's Andaria Algae Body Butter. Now honestly, this body butter has become such a small but meaningful part of my self care routine. After my shower, I take an extra minute to rub it in. I breathe in that fresh, citrusy scent. It's like grapefruit and lime, but it also has this cozy feel to it. It has this hint of cypress and mandarin. I seriously wish you could smell it through the airwaves. OIA's Andaria algae body butter is next level. It is thick, it's luxurious and it absorbs so fast. Plus it is not greasy at all, which is huge for me because absolutely hate feeling sticky. My skin feels so soft and hydrated afterward. And I love that it's made with ingredients usually reserved for your face like andaria, seaweed and ceramides. Treat yourself to clean clinically tested skin care from osea. And right now we have a special discount code just for our listeners. Get 10 off your first order site wide using the code gold [e-mail] that's O S EA Malibu.com Use the code gold Digger.

[Unknown]

One of the most rewarding parts of running a business is taking.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Care of your team, but it can.

[Unknown]

Also be one of the hardest. That's why my team and I switched.

[Jenna Kutcher]

To Gusto, the all in one platform.

[Unknown]

That takes the pain out of Payroll, benefits and HR. Whether it's W2s, 1099s or small group health insurance, Gusto has you covered and with their offer letters and checklists, your new hires will feel welcome from day one. Businesses that switch to gusto save on average $2,600 a year and 48 hours of time. Their software is easy to use and accessible online from anywhere. Payroll is fast and easy too. Gusto automatically files and pays all federal.

[Jenna Kutcher]

State and local taxes so you don't.

[Unknown]

Have to stress about paperwork. And if you ever have a tough HR question, Gusto has certified experts ready to help. If you've been waiting for a tool to simplify your business and make life.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Easier, this is it.

[Unknown]

Right now. You get three months for free. When you run first payroll, head to gusto.comgolddigger to get started.

[Jenna Kutcher]

That's gusto.comgolddigger hi, Jenna.

[Caller]

My name is Melissa Henning Frank, and I'm from Saukville, Wisconsin. My question for you is, how do you handle negative feedback or criticism about your podcast?

[Jenna Kutcher]

Okay, this is a fun question and not so fun. I recently saw something that said, like, if you want to be on the fast track to healing yourself, start a business. And I kind of chuckled to myself because it's so true. Entrepreneurship just forces you to hold up a mirror to all of your insecurities. It forces you to work on the parts of you that are easily triggered. It makes you really start to see, you know, the younger versions of you who were broken or needed different support at different times in your life. And it's just hard, right? And negative feedback or criticism is hard. I definitely have gotten a tougher shell over the years, which is both beautiful and kind of sad at the same time. I think it's just the reality of being somebody that's doing the work on the Internet, where it's just open for interpretation and criticism. One thing that I've always tried to look for is, is there something constructive in the criticism that I could actually sit with, think about, and apply, or is it just straight up criticism? Like, where is that coming from? Because oftentimes you can learn a ton from feedback and criticism. And I have always been someone who is curious as to how I can do better, what I can do better, where I'm falling short. And so it's interesting because as the years go by, I can often see that person's perspective or that person's point of, like, oh, I. I did say that wrong. I should have said that differently. Or, oh, that probably is really annoying. I'm really sorry about that. And so I feel like I've gotten to a place that is way less triggered by it. And I don't take it necessarily as personally, but I try to look for, like, is there some truth in there? Or is there an opportunity to do better? And oftentimes there is. And sometimes it takes us a while to realize that once we get past the wounded part of us, that gets really hurt from it. But what I think is beautiful is that we all have opinions. And when I think of my friend Mel Robbins and her let them theory, it's like, if it's just straight up criticism, like, let them misunderstand you. Like, let them be upset about what you're doing. Let them think that you're doing something wrong. Just let them. And let go of that stuff. But I also think there's so much ownership there as to what you want to do with that. Do you want to learn from it? Do you want to grow from it? Is there an ounce of truth in it? Now, the one thing I will caution is if you let negative feedback or criticism become the filter you put all of your work through, you're never going to put your work out there, right? And so if you are so fixated on the critics that you just straight up stop creating, stop posting, stop sharing, because you're paralyzed by it, then that is where it can get really dangerous. And you're letting them win. And so you want to keep speaking to your fans, you want to keep speaking to the people who are supporting you. And then you also just want to see is there an opportunity for improvement or consideration from that feedback or criticism. And so I am always paying attention. I know I don't get everything right. I know I've said things and changed my mind on them. I know I've tried out different ad formats and different partner formats on the podcast and I read the reviews. And so it matters to me to just have my ear to the ground and to understand how I'm being perceived or where I could work. And I think that over the years it's helped me to get better at my job, but to also continue to learn and have empathy and understanding for where other people are coming from. So if you are getting negative feedback or criticism, congratulations. You're likely doing something that is hard or challenging, and I commend you for that. And you get to choose the role that it plays in your life and how you handle that. And so hopefully you got something out of this.

[Caller]

Hey, Jenna, My name is Allison Caffrey. I am calling in from Colorado Springs, Colorado. So I help business owners plan maternity leave. And I've noticed that in this season, most business owners either over prepare or under prepare for the season. And I'm really wondering what key things you did to set boundaries when you had your girls and you wanted to make sure that you still were creative inside of your business and you really honored that time with your family.

[Jenna Kutcher]

I absolutely love this question. And Allie, I've got to Say, I always see you in my comment section, and I just. I really appreciate you being a part of this community. So thank you so much for asking. And maternity leave is something that I think should be talked about more, especially in the space of just women in business, because I totally agree with you. I think people are either way over prepared, and then they're like, you know, sitting there like, okay, what do I do now? Like, I'm so bored. Or they're under prepared and they're incredibly stressed and they're working through what should be such a sacred time as a family. So when I did my maternity leaves, I basically worked all the way ahead so that I didn't have to show up for anything. So I helped prep content for the podcast for three months, for email, for the blog. Like, basically everything was set and ready to rock. And I did not need to come online or lift up my head or do anything I didn't want to do. And I loved that option because I think what was so beautiful about that is knowing that I didn't have to do anything really released the stress and pressure of feeling like I needed to perform or show up. But it also left space for me to do things that I wanted to do. Now, this looks different for literally every single person based on your situation, based on your birth, based on the role that you play in a company. But for me, once I had my first daughter, Coco, I was kind of bored because I went from running so hard so fast to get prepped for it to not having any work to do. And newborn babies sleep an awful lot, like 20 hours of the day. And so I remember, like, sitting there and I'm like, okay, do I just, like, stare at her the whole time? Like, do I read books? What do I do? Like, how do I be super present? I'd prayed for that moment for so long. And so I remember early on, like, being like, I feel like writing or I want to create something or maybe I want to blog about this or like, whatever it is. And so it was nice because again, I had zero pressure on having to do anything. But I still ended up working a little bit with Quinn. I was on my final round of edits for my book, and so I have these photos of her where she's just this teeny, tiny baby, and I'm editing my manuscript page by page by page. But I loved that work. Like, that did not feel stressful to me. I felt fully present with my daughter. It felt like she was a part of the project I was working on. And so I would just say making it and setting it up so that you set expectations as to what people can expect from you while you're off. You do as much as you can to anticipate what is needed from you and what you can prep in advance. And then you just leave space for. If you want to show up, you can. If you don't want to, you don't have to. I think that, to me, is the ultimate freedom as an entrepreneur. It's funny because last year, my team, we did a really light summer. So June, July, and August were really, really light for work. And I was teasing them, and I was like, we should pretend like I am having a baby in June so that we all work ahead so that summer can be even lighter. Because there was something really beautiful about kind of having that sprint, that hard work in prep, but then having a ton of lightness. And so we were kind of laughing about that because I'm like, you know, I've done it before. I can do it again. But that was beautiful. And then when it came to boundaries, I didn't have any work trips on my calendar. I ended up with both daughters taking trips with them early on because I felt great and I felt ready and I felt prepared. I took Quinn to Napa with me, and it was just her and I, and it was to work on my book launch. And so that was a beautiful experience. Super memorable. One of my friends text me a photo of that from the other day when she was just this teeny, tiny, fuzzy head baby. And I loved it. Like, I really felt really confident as a mom in those early days, and I felt like, yeah, I can do whatever I can do what I need to. And then with Coco, we actually went to Hawaii when she was six weeks old, and so we spent a whole month there with her when she was a teeny baby. And that also just kind of helped me stay in maternity leave mode, stay in that mode of relaxation. And so just leave space for magic to happen. Don't judge yourself if you want to work. I feel like some women feel guilt of, like, why do I feel like I want to work? I should be with my baby. I should be present, and you can be all of those things and still leave space for that. But also, don't stress yourself out by under anticipating what is necessary to keep your business going while you are on leave. Okay, let's dive on into the next question.

[Caller]

Hey, Jenna, this is Katie from Kansas City, and I would love to know, when you attend a Mastermind, what does that actually look like, what are you guys doing? What kinds of conversations are you have? What's a rough itinerary of it?

[Jenna Kutcher]

Ooh, okay. This is so fun. So I have been a part of a few different masterminds over the years. I actually led a mastermind the year that I had Coco, so back in 2018. And every mastermind is different, but the ones that I've been a part of are all fairly similar in structure. So generally speaking, the mastermind itself is about two to three days long. The ones that I've been a part of, it's usually like 25 to 30ish people. I've been a part of Paid Masterminds, where you pay money. And then I've also been a part of Free Masterminds, where, like, one of our friends or peers is putting it on and we're all just together. I've also been a part of masterminds that raise money for charity. So I've actually done quite a few now that I'm thinking about it. So a lot of times there will be a facilitator, so that is the leader of the mastermind, and that person is going to create the itinerary. Most masterminds will leave an opportunity for what is called a hot seat, so that each person that is there is coming with one big question or problem or conflict that they want to resolve before they leave. And so a hot seat is usually structured where one person is sharing for, say, a couple minutes. And then it's almost like a round robin crowdsourcing of like, hey, I've been through that too. This works for me. Or, hey, I know this person. This can maybe help with this. Or, hey, have you tried this strategy? This could really help you get through this. And so hot seats are usually at masterminds, and it can be either in, like, smaller groups or with a huge collective. But I feel like that is one way to make sure that every person is getting what they need. A lot of times people will present on a specific topic and then leave room for a Q and A. So it's usually a topic that everybody can benefit from. Some topics off of the top of my head, we've done, like, different email funnels, We've done different growth strategies. We've done topics like AI. We've done topics like team and hiring and team values. So it can kind of run the gamut. And usually that will be based on kind of what is the theme of the mastermind, or what are people struggling with. A lot of times the facilitator will bring in other people who are experts to teach on what they're an expert in. And generally, it's a topic that everyone can benefit from. I've been at ones where one of the leaders brought in one of their, like, health professionals, and we went deep on health and women's health and what could benefit women's health. I remember one of the masterminds I was in, like a famous YouTuber, came in and shared more of their process and how they create their videos and what they do. And so, again, masterminds can look different, but the main theme is it leaves a lot of space for learning. It leaves a lot of space to ask questions. And one of the magical things about masterminds is the conversations that happen naturally when things aren't being facilitated. So at the dinners, at breakfast, in the hotel lobby, like, I've had one where, like, everybody came back to my hotel room after we had, like, a group of women, and we were, like, on our computers, like, showing each other, like, our quickbooks or, like, walking through, like, here's exactly how I do this. And so there's a lot of room, once you have those connections, to continue making magic outside of the formal mastermind setting. But typically speaking, they're a couple days long. It's a space where I often find that people kind of show up and they feel like they've got it all together. Like, you feel like, why am I here? I'm so under qualified. And then by the end of it, you start to see people's vulnerabilities, you start to hear about their challenges, and you kind of feel like it's this collective working together to overcome things. And a lot of beautiful, deep relationships come out of that vulnerability. And a lot of accountability also comes out of mastermind. So I remember the first mastermind I ever joined. We would have to set down these goals, and then the next time we met up a few months later, we'd have to stand up and share. Here's exactly where I'm at, and here's how I'm doing with those things. And just knowing that, like, I'm gonna have to report back on this and let people know where I'm at with this goal that really makes you show up and do the work. So that's kind of the gist of it. Again, every mastermind is different. Every leader handles it differently, but that is basically the ones I've been a part of. That's kind of been the format.

[Unknown]

It is so easy to lose track of subscriptions. Like, we've all been there, signing up for free trials or services we barely use anymore, and then months later, realizing how much money is quietly slipping through the cracks. Those forgotten subscriptions add up fast, and that's where Rocket Money comes in to save the day. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that makes it incredibly easy to find and cancel subscriptions you don't need anymore, so you're not paying for things you've long forgotten about.

[Jenna Kutcher]

But that's just the start.

[Unknown]

Rocket Money also monitors your spending, helps lower your bills, and puts your savings on autopilot so you can focus on what matters most. Their dashboard is basically like a command.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Center for your finances.

[Unknown]

You can see all your accounts in one place, set budgets, track spending trends, and even get alerts if a bill goes up. Plus, their new Goals feature automatically sets aside money for things like paying off debt, saving up for a big purchase, or building your emergency fund. It's like having a financial assistant right in your pocket. With over 5 million users, Rocket Money has saved people a total of $500 million in canceled subscriptions alone, and members can save up to $740 a year using all the premium features. If getting your finances in order is a priority this year, start with Rocket Money, cancel your unwanted subscriptions, and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Head to RocketMoney.com Golddigger today. That's RocketMoney.com Golddigger RocketMoney.com Golddigger It's 2025 and the B2B marketing world is noisier than ever. If your strategy this year doesn't include better ad targeting, your message could get lost in the shuffle. That's where LinkedIn ads come in. With LinkedIn's precise targeting, you can reach professionals by job title, industry, company and more. You'll have direct access to and build relations with key decision makers. I'm talking about a billion members, 130 million decision makers, and 10 million C level execs. LinkedIn generated two to five times higher return on ad spend for the tech industry compared to other social platforms. No wonder 79% of B2B marketers say LinkedIn delivers the best results for paid media. So if you're ready to work with a partner who respects the B2B world you operate in, LinkedIn ads is the way to go. Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. We'll even give you a hundred dollar credit on your next campaign. Head to LinkedIn.com goal to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com goal. Terms and conditions apply LinkedIn the place to be. To be.

[Caller]

Hi, my name is Erin, and I'm calling in from the Hudson Valley. My question for you is I admire you so much as a mother and as a business owner. And so I'm curious, what has changed in how you've run your business since becoming a mom? What feels more important now and what feels less important?

[Jenna Kutcher]

Hi, Erin. Thank you so much for this question. It's so crazy. So my daughters are 6 and 3 right now, which is wild. It feels like I just became a mom yesterday. So much has changed, and yet so much has also stayed the same. The biggest thing that has changed is I will just say that, like, my priorities have shifted so much. I will say that I have softened so much from the version of me before I had kids where I was the person who I constantly wanted to outdo myself. I wanted to do bigger and better. I wanted to sky's the limit, you know, go hard or go home. And even this year, as I was setting goals for this year, I really was way more in my feminine energy of, like, I want this year to feel good. I want to experience the freedom. I don't need to outdo myself. I don't need to prove that I'm better every single year. And I remember having a conversation with one of my team members when we were kind of goal setting, and I was like, you know, if we could have a year similar to last year, I'd be so pleased. Like, last year felt great. It was amazing. I had time, I had energy, I had freedom, I had flexibility. Like, those are the values. It's not, you know, profit and revenue and sales and all of those things. They're all great and they all still play a role, but they're not the priority. One of the things that has stayed the same is that my business model has really, truly been rinse and repeat since I became a mom. And there was definitely a version of me. If I would have heard this six years ago, I would have been like, wait, you mean to tell me that my business looks the exact same? We have the same offers, we're doing the same thing six years from now. I wouldn't have even believed it. That would have felt so boring to me as a multi passionate, creative person. But what I've recognized is that the rinse and the repeat is an absolute gift. Because I don't know a lot of entrepreneurs at my level who have the level of peace and ease in their life that I do. And I think that's only impossible because I have tamed down the piece of me that always wants to be on to the new and the next thing. And I've really just gotten honest that, like, what I've built is amazing and I want to make it even better, and I want to serve at an even higher level. And the only way to do that is to take what already exists and just make it better instead of constantly starting from scratch, like. Like I don't have the energy and the mental bandwidth to constantly be starting over. And so it's been amazing because my business, the structure of it, the flow of it, the rhythm of it has all stayed pretty much the same in the last six years. And I would say we've gotten a lot better at it. And that has allowed us to do things like four day work weeks and light summers and have a lot of flexibility and not be working from a place of stress. And so, you know, it's interesting because in the fall, I feel like I'll be entering a new era as a mom. My oldest is in kindergarten right now, and my youngest will be starting in school next year. And it's going to be so weird to have a quiet home. Like, I've just gotten so used to working with a kid at home, Drew at home. Like, we just kind of do life together. And so I'm trying not to make any big decisions or big moves until I'm in that and I can experience. What does this feel like? Do I feel like I have more bandwidth? Do I feel more freed up? Do I have new ideas I want to pursue? And so I've really kind of moved through motherhood as a business owner, really recognizing, like, I can hit the brake and remember where the gas pedal is. I'm not believing in this lie of, like, momentum that keeps me frazzled and running constantly. I believe that I can create my own momentum. And I feel like I've been able to do some really big things as a mom, but not at the expense of my journey as a mother and not at the expense of my children. And so it's been really interesting. I think motherhood has stretched me in a bajillion ways. I think I am constantly learning and reevaluating and figuring out, okay, what is my purpose right now in this season, or what does my family need for me in this week? What does my business need for me? And figuring that out over and over and over again, I. I feel like I'm constantly renegotiating what is the priority and what is working right now. But in terms of my life and my Business. And my team, like so much, has stayed the same, and I'm so grateful for that. I have so many team members that have been with me literally since I became a mom. And I'm really proud of that because I feel like I've evolved a lot and they've evolved as humans as well. And the fact that we are still proud and happy working together, it's pretty amazing. So motherhood will absolutely stretch you and change you if you let it. And I hope that you do.

[Caller]

Hi, Jenna, My name is Lissy. I'm from Edmond, Oklahoma. My question is how would you suggest selling several bite sized courses in 2025? I'd love for them to move down a clear path without feeling overwhelmed or paralyzed by choices.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Okay, so this is interesting and I'm so curious. I want to ask you a million questions, Lucy, like what are the courses on? Do they play together? What do you mean by bite sized? How long is the content? What is the price point? So I'm going to do my best to answer this question without having all of the answers that I would like to have. So when you are thinking about your dream client, one of the best things you can do is kind of lay out a roadmap of the most ideal situation for them in terms of how they're taking advantage of your offers, how they're moving through them and the results they're getting. And so that is called a value ladder. And a lot of times people will create value ladders where it is, you know, a free offer at the very beginning that is kind of the entry point and then maybe a lower priced offer and then it moves up and up and up. And as people move up the ladder and a lot of times when people have a true value ladder, they're ending with like a high ticket offer, which is usually coaching or a mastermind or something that is high ticket, high touch. When you have a bunch of different offers, it can be confusing for somebody to know where to begin. And I actually have a few different courses, so I understand what this looks like. So you have a few different options. You could have a very specific value ladder where it's like you take step A, once you are done with step A, then you're invited into step B, then step C, then steps D. But if it is not a requirement to have prerequisites before joining an offer, I would say to figure out some sort of rhythm in terms of how you're launching those offers and bringing awareness to them so that people are aware of what you have available. And they're able to qualify themselves if it's the right fit for them. So for us, we have four main programs, and I do one launch per quarter every single year. So at least once a year, I am updating everything about my offer, the offer itself, landing pages, ads, sales pages, everything. So we're going through and it's like all refreshed, the webinar, everything. And I like this because people will then be made aware of what's available, but they don't necessarily have to go in a certain order. And I feel like it can help answer the questions of which option is the best fit for you right now. You can also strategically build that into your copy, whether it's in an email sequence where you're like, if you're not sure to begin, you could take a quiz, you could respond to the email and ask a question. You could have a landing page on your website that differentiates each offer and who it's for and what the end result is. And so maybe think through some of those questions that your ideal audience might be asking and how you can answer them before they ever ask them. But you kind of want to decide, like, is it a value ladder where it needs to go in sequential order, or is it a free for all? And if it's a free for all, how can you communicate what each course does, who it's for, and help people make those decisions without being overwhelmed by too many choices? Again, I feel like if I had more information on exactly what your offers are, I could give an even better explanation. But hopefully that will be an awesome place to start.

[Caller]

Hi, Jenna. My name is Jennifer Galicia and I'm a local flower farmer and podcaster based in Hood River, Oregon. My question is, when you have a big vision that others might not immediately understand or believe in, how do you get people to buy in and support your dream?

[Jenna Kutcher]

Oh, okay. This is a great question to end on. So in my book, I often talk about how it's no one else's job to understand your vision. The vision was given to you for a reason. And I often feel like we go to bat for our visions or the things that we're working on. And we're often trying to prove what we're doing and why it's worth it and who we're doing it for. And I definitely think there are people in your life where their buy in is important and their support makes a difference. And so getting really clear on, okay, who actually truly needs to understand this, usually people that are invested in you or invested in the business or maybe having to deal with what is the repercussions of you chasing that dream. Those are those, those people. So probably the people closest to you. But beyond that, I don't think that you have to explain it to other people. I think you can and I think you can do it in a beautiful way. But I also don't think that you have to do it in a way that leaves you feeling like you're on the defense. I've been through so many identity shifts in my career and with each one I would kind of uncover an insecurity of mine, right? Like, like when I became a wedding photographer, I wanted people to know I wasn't just a wedding photographer. I was a really good wedding photographer. I had won awards and I did so many weddings I was in demand. And I recognized like this is coming from this place of like wanting people to think I'm important. And when I recognize that, it kind of shifted my approach of like who cares if they get it? Who cares if they think that. That I am just a hobbyist and I have no idea what aperture or ISO is. Like who cares? Why does it matter? And I feel like when we're entrepreneurs, we're naturally on the defense because we're doing something different. We're challenging the norm, we're creating something unique, we're pushing against societal's standards. And again, that leaves us defensive. And so when you have a big vision that others might not immediately understand or believe in, it is up to you to really differentiate. Is it worth your breath and your energy to help them to understand? Are they truly seeking to understand or are they seeking to doubt? If they're seeking to doubt, let them think whatever they want to think. It doesn't impact you or your dreams. If they're seeking to understand, help them to understand. And that has been a huge differentiation for me because I feel like I went through this period of my life where I just didn't even let anybody into what I was doing work wise. Like I just had written it off like, well they're not going to understand. And I told myself that that was a lie. I was telling myself is that they don't get it anyway so why even try? But there were people in my life who genuinely wanted to understand, to be a part of the work I was doing, to really have kind of the behind the scenes scoop loop in me telling myself that they don't really know or they're not going to get it. I never gave them an opportunity to understand it. And so the people that are worth it. Give them the opportunity to understand that, share that vision, but understand they might not fully get it. And that's okay for the people who are just set on doubting you or questioning you or putting seeds of doubt and planting them within you. Let it go. Let them think what they want to think and you just keep your head down and do your work. Work. There are so many different times in entrepreneurship where I feel like you have to just put your head down and do the work and put the blinders up and not look at what anyone else is doing or saying around you. And one of the biggest pieces of being successful is having the discernment as to when to put your blinders up and when to let people in. And I think that you probably already have that within you. You might just need to tap in to really check in with yourself about who is worth worth letting into the dream and remembering that it is no one else's job to understand your vision. The vision is yours. It was given to you for a reason. You will be the one in pursuit of it. You will be the one doing the work. And so all that matters is, is that the vision is clear for you and you alone. All right, that was so much fun. Thank you so much to everyone who called in, who shared their insightful and thoughtful and inspiring questions. I had an app Absolute blast. And I just want you to know, like, this Gold Digger community is the heart of this podcast. And so I love so much hearing your voices, digging into what's on your mind, answering your specific questions. It means the absolute world to me. So if I didn't get to your question this time, do not worry, we're going to be doing more of these episodes. Be sure to leave me a voicemail to be featured in an upcoming Ask Me Anything episode of the podcast. And again, you can call 218-203-9660. Again, that's 218-203-9660. We also have the number in the show notes and episode description. Please call in and ask your question. I love checking out your voice messages and it helps us create the content that you're looking for on this podcast and it also helps us to just get to know you and where you're at. Thank you so much for showing up. Let me know if you loved this episode. I'd love to hear what you think about this format. Slide into my DMs. I love hearing it. Leave a review if you're willing to. This is such a beautiful, beautiful thing that we've built together, and I'm just so grateful for you. And of course, until next time, Gold Diggers, keep on digging your biggest goals.

[Unknown]

Thanks for pulling up a seat for.

[Jenna Kutcher]

Another episode of the Gold Digger Podcast. I hope today's episode fueled you with inspiration, gave you information that you can turn into into action, and realigned you with your true north in life and business. If you've enjoyed today's episode, head on over To Gold Digger Podcast.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.