← The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business
The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business
892: Burned Out or Ready to Grow? Your Top Questions on Branding, Hiring, and Scaling
00:56:51
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- [00:02]
Jenna Kutcher
Today's episode is sponsored in part by Shopify, Cozy and Greenlight Join millions of entrepreneurs using Shopify, the global commerce platform that helps you grow your business. Start your $1 a month trial at shopify.com golddigger Transform your living space today with cozy. Visit cozy.com the Home of Possibilities made easy and teach your kids real world money skills with Greenlight. Start your risk free trial today@greenlight.com Golddigger as always, you can all of our incredible deals in the show notes. Now let's dive in. This isn't just another Q and A. It's a deep dive into the challenges and decisions that so many of us face on the journey of building a business and a life that we love. Whether you're wondering how to measure podcast success, wanting to build a personal brand, or wondering why you should finally start that email list, don't worry, I've got you. Jenna I'm Jenna Kutcher, your host of the Goal Digger podcast. I escaped the corporate world at the age of 23 with nothing more than a $300 camera from Craigslist and a dream. Now I'm running a seven figure online 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 and we are in the pursuit of building businesses that give us the freedom to live lives that we love. I've always loved turning big goals into reality and 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. Have you ever wished you could hit pause in your day, pull out your phone, give me a call and ask me that one question that's been circling around in your brain. Maybe it's about your brand, your systems, your pricing, or your next move? Well, now you can just give me a call at 218-203-9660. In today's episode, you're going to hear real voicemails from real Gold Digger listeners. People just like you, navigating everything from hiring a virtual assistant with inconsistent hours to marketing a service no one knows that they need yet to figuring out if bigger really is better when it comes to scaling a business, we're talking about pricing your art without second guessing, drawing boundaries between your life and your brand, starting email lists and websites while drowning in content creation, and yes, how to make peace with Instagram. These are the questions that matter because they reflect the real work of entrepreneurship. Let's get into it.
- [02:53]
Listener
Hi Jenna, this is Dodie from Indiana. I feel like I'm to the point where I am ready for a va, but my question is, how do you go about hiring one when some weeks I may need three to five hours and then there's weeks where I need 10 to 15?
- [03:12]
Jenna Kutcher
All right, this is an awesome question and something that I think holds a lot of people back from hiring when they really need the help. I was so resistant to getting help, I ended up hiring my first virtual assistant. Her name is Caitlin. She reached out and emailed me three different times. And the first two times I was like, nope, I got it. I'm good. And finally, on the third time, she caught me at a moment in my life where I was literally white knuckling my business and I finally said, I need help. Those three words changed my entire life. And I had all the objections just like you of, like, I don't even know if I have enough work to do this and how am I going to train someone? And honestly, I was kind of embarrassed about the state of my business or the lack of systems that I had. Now that I know that I have adhd, it makes a lot more sense. But when I first let her in, I was like walking her through different things. And I just remember feeling so much shame and embarrassment of like, the piecemeal systems that I had put together in my business. So if you are looking at hiring someone and you know that the hours will vary, first and foremost, just be honest about the hours. Share upfront that, like, hey, my needs are going to vary. Some weeks might be 3 to 5, others, others might be 10 to 15. The truth is, is that a good virtual assistant or va, they'll likely roll with that, especially if they have multiple clients. So a lot of virtual assistants or VAs will work with multiple clients and they just kind of plan out their workload around the client's needs. So first and foremost, be honest about the hours. Then I would say second is know what you're looking for. So it's really important when you're making a hire because a lot of times, because we have all of these objections, we're almost looking for the signs of like, this isn't going to work for me. And so one of the big decisions that I think everyone should make before they hire is to decide if you want someone who already has a skill set and they might cost more hourly, or decide if you're open to training someone to grow with you. So I have people on my team that had literally no background in online business, and they've learned their job as they went. And then I've also hired team members who have extensive, extensive background and experience, and I've paid them more upfront because they know. And so you kind of have to decide, like, do you want to save money and do more training and walk them through what you want and need, or do you want someone who you can just literally, like, hand over the keys to the kingdom and be like, all right, you run with this? And that's a big decision. I would also say that if you are hiring and it's one of your first hires or you're a little hesitant to do it, do research. So ask around in your network. Get into Facebook communities. You can look at platforms like Upwork or Belay. You can also just post your own listing. I've done episodes on this show about how we hire for my team, and we swear and use LinkedIn. We love LinkedIn for hiring. But the general rule of thumb is this general VA rates can usually range from, like, $20 to $50 an hour, depending on their experience, their specialty, and their location. So kind of figuring out, like, what does this look like for you? The thing that's really interesting is I think the biggest shift happens for entrepreneurs when they finally get help, because you recognize that your time has value. It's kind of like when you're first starting out, all you want to do is you will trade any amount of time to earn money. Right? That is like the beginning, the crux of entrepreneurship. And I think that the biggest shift to growth happens when you recognize, I am now at a place where I would happily trade my money to get back my time. And so I think that this is almost like a graduation level in entrepreneurship when you realize that, like, if a VA can take tasks off of your plate so you can spend more time in your zone of genius or in the places in the business that only you can serve, or frankly, in just living your life, it is almost always worth it. Even three to five hours a week can create real breathing room. Like, imagine if you just had somebody go through Your inbox for 30 minutes a day and only assign the emails that you need to personally respond to to you. Like, how Would that free you up mentally, emotionally, creatively? And so I am a huge, huge, huge believer in hiring and just really setting expectations up front, expressing your needs up front, and finding someone that's a good fit. And there will likely be an adjustment period when you first hire someone. And so give yourself and give them the time and energy that they need to find success in that role or to make sure if it is or is not a good fit. I hope this helps, Jodi. All right, let's dive in to our next question.
- [07:47]
Listener
Hey, Jenna. This is Melissa Henning Frank from Saukville, Wisconsin. I help people confront the things they don't talk about so they can stop playing small. And I do this through my small business as a coach, podcaster, and facilitator. My question for you is, how do you measure success with your podcast, and what metrics really matter with that?
- [08:10]
Jenna Kutcher
So I get asked this a lot when it comes to podcasting, and what is so interesting to me is I think that sometimes we can get things flipped. So I am going to answer your question, but I'm going to step up on a soapbox really quick with this one. So first, I think it is so important if you are going to start a podcast or you're running a podcast, you have to start with your why and continue to go back to it every single time you hit record. So why is it that you're podcasting? Like, is it to build trust? Are you looking to grow your audience? Do you want to nurture leads? Do you want to deepen your impact? This shapes truly what success actually looks like for you. And so, yes, there are key metrics that I watch. But I think at the end of the day, if you are not clear on what is the actual goal here, it is really hard to hold a ruler up and be like, yes, my podcast is hitting the marks, or, no, it's not really quick. Something that was really interesting to me. I recently sat down with a friend, and he asks, like, insanely good questions. And he was drilling me on this podcast, and he opened it up. He's like, oh, my gosh, you've done over 800 episodes. Like, how have you done that? And to me, my podcast success, like, I love interviewing experts. The fact that I get to, quote, pick people's brains and. And call it my work and get to share those conversations with you, that fires me up. Like, I have access to so many incredible experts just because of this show that's super successful to me. The second thing is, is, like, I look at this podcast as A legacy play, something that I'm gonna leave for you. For other listeners, for my children, it is basically a roadmap of my life and shared with my voice and what's happening in my world. And so, like, those things are very successful to me. Now, when it comes to actual metrics, I'm not going to leave you hanging. There are four main metrics that I like to watch when it comes to my podcast. So the first One is this, 30 day downloads per episode. So a lot of times people will look at like their immediate downloads helpful, but not really because I know even as a listener, I am not always listening to something immediately when it drops. Oftentimes I'm like cruising through my favorite podcast, picking topics I love. And so the 30 day downloads per episode is the industry standard. And it also helps you track growth over time because you catch not only the immediate downloads, but people that trickle in. And it gives you kind of a good overall view of like, how that episode performed. The second metric that I watch is episode retention rate. And basically this is just answering the question of like, are people sticking around or are they dropping off halfway through? This is really interesting to me because my guy friend was like, you know, there are some guy podcasters out there who can do like 3 hour long form interviews. And I was like, dude, my listeners are women who are busy. I was like, it takes me like two days to finish an hour long podcast episode if I'm listening to one and I'm listening on like 1.5 or 2x speed. My audience is so different. And so I want it to be super digestible, super actionable and really interesting. And so looking at the retention rate is another one. The third one is looking at your top performing episodes. Use these to spot patterns and what your audience wants more of. So we were recently pulling a lot of data of like our historical top performing episodes, our recent top performing episodes, looking at like the titles, the descriptions, the topics, like what can we glean from these episodes to use that data to create more content in alignment with that or more that you are basically telling us you want through that. And then the last thing that I watch is traffic to our offers or opt in. So is our podcast converting listeners into actual results inside of our business. So for me, that would be email subscribers turning them into clients or students. And so again, based off of how you define what success is for your show, this fourth metric is going to be, are you doing the thing you set out to do when you started recording it? Right? Whether that's building awareness, or growing your social media following, or growing your email list, or getting more people into your offers or your communities. And so that fourth metric is going to be specific to you and the goals you set from your show. The thing that I will say is, do not just let these numbers paint a picture for you. I think you have to look beyond the numbers when it comes to podcasting. There's a real stat out there that most podcasts don't make it past episode seven, and I think it's because people expect really big results really fast. You sincerely have to tether your why to something way deeper than metrics, or I promise you, you're going to burn out. So remember that every single number that you see, there's a human behind it. Every single download is a real person inviting you into their world while they drive, while they clean, while they walk their dog, while they hang out with their kids. To me, like, that is such an intimate way to not just give out data or information, but to connect with someone. Podcasting, to me is like long game gold. I think that what's amazing about it is that when you create a podcast episode, your content has longevity. An episode that you release today could help somebody months or even years from now. And so what I would say in terms of advice for podcasting is stay consistent, stay clear, deliver on your promise. And when you do that, your podcast becomes not just a marketing tool, but a true time saver, a trust builder, and a body of work that you will be so stinking proud of. All right, let's dive on in to the next question.
- [13:29]
Listener
Hi, Jenna, this is Sheree Lynette. I'm calling from Harker Heights, Texas. How do I build a homeschool mom brand without just being a resource? I've built my brand so far just being a resource to moms, and it's not building community, it's not building the brand. I just need to find a way to just build exactly what I'm looking for.
- [13:53]
Jenna Kutcher
Okay, I love this. And also, if you are listening and you homeschool, I just bow down to you. I think it's so incredible. So I just want to say that. So here's what I would say. The first thing you want to focus on is leading with relatability and not just resources. I think it's so easy for us to default to just giving away tips to and tools. But in reality, the most successful businesses and brands are brands that lead with people because people connect with people. And so you don't want to just share resources and Tips and tricks. You want to share your story. You want to connect people to the why, the wins, the real life mess, like how you got there. The goal here is that you want moms to see themselves in you. To me, that is what builds trust and connection. And I think this is going to be easier, even more relevant in this AI era that we're in, where information is everywhere and access to information has never been greater. But people need more of the story and the connection point and the humanness, not just like the robotic information. Speaking of that, I will say that with information being everywhere, I'll say information isn't enough anymore. Implementation is everything. Moms don't need more downloads cluttering up their desktop. Let me tell you, as a mother myself, we are drowning in information. And so what we crave, and I'll speak for myself, I crave help in applying what I'm learning, right? The amount of reels and things and downloads I save about parenthood and I forget to circle back or I don't have time to circle back on. And so your goal should be, I'm not just giving you information, I'm going to help you implement it. When you become an implementation expert, somebody who helps them take action and build rhythms and feel less alone, that's how you step into a role that is so valuable and entirely irreplaceable, that's what people will be willing to pay for. The next thing I would say is when I think about what you're doing, and this goes for anyone out there who is selling information or systems or strategies, you want to position yourself as a facilitator of growth. And so you want to consider like, how do I bring more connectivity to this? Connect people to me, connect people to each other. Whether it's like hosting community challenges or doing like weekly check ins either on social media or in a private community or with your email list, or maybe you're creating like super small action based workshops or coaching sessions. This moves you from being just a resource to the person who actually finally helps me do it. And as a mom and a busy mom, I want people that actually help me apply it, right? I want to see the results and I want to take action. And so to do this, what I would say is that you have to focus on building a two way connection. You don't want just one way teaching. You don't want to be like shouting at them with no opportunity to respond. When you think about it, resources are output, community is input. And so as much input as you can get Anything that invites a response, whether it's a poll, a dm, a zoom room, this is going to help you to listen, respond and co create. That is how you build with your people and not just for them. I think gone are the days where we're like, okay, I think my audience needs this. I'm going to create the offer, I'm going to put it out there. I think that co creating offers that your audience is expressly asking you for is going to be the next wave. And then lastly, I would say is don't just make your information the brand, make you the brand. In this case, people don't just follow content, they follow connection. So again, any ways that you can integrate yourself, your story, your community, you behind the scenes. What I think is going to really help people like you stand out as information becomes even more readily available. And at our fingertips is having a unique voice that will allow you to make your brand and what you offer way more memorable and super magnetic. I hope this helps answer your question. Cheryl.
- [17:56]
Listener
Hi, this is Jennifer Rankin and I'm calling from Albany, New York. My question was how do I make the most of my time being a mom and a business owner? And also how important is social media, specifically Instagram?
- [18:15]
Jenna Kutcher
So being a mom and a business owner, I only laugh because today I have been working while the PBS Office Arthur podcast has been playing for my daughter who just wants to lay next to me and listen to it. And I love her for that. But I get it. Like, the Juggle is incredibly real and I really had to let go of this idea that balance even exists. I remember when I was writing my book and it was like through my pregnancy and then I was launching my book with a newborn and it was just this like, interesting time. I remember researching the origins of the word balance. And I recognize that balance is meant to be a moment in time, not a state to be maintained. And I have just held fast to that. Thought of, like, this idea that we're supposed to be in balance and maintain it is just crazy. And it's no wonder why we feel like we're failing. And so one thing that has helped me so much is really taking a moment to pause and say, where am I most needed right now? Especially when I feel stretched or if I'm feeling frustrated. That answer literally changes by the hour, especially daily, weekly, and definitely with every season of mother. There have been seasons of motherhood, like when I was nursing, where it was like, very obvious, where am I needed most right now? And as my kids are getting older, it's easy for me to see opportunities where, like, in my brain, I'm like, I need to get this work done right now. And then I'm like, okay, where am I most needed right now? And I'm like, okay, my kids really want my attention. How do I just shut this down and circle back to it? And so. So what's interesting is, is that when you're a mom and a business owner, I think that the biggest thing, and I hope this is true for other people as well, is that time is your currency, right? And you are limited by the amount of time you have. And so spending your time in the places that matter the most in each stage is how I think you're gonna stay grounded and present in the process. And one thing that I have to call out is like, I am so lucky. Like, my husband dedicates his life to being a stay at home parent. I have support, and I want to be clear about that. Like, I couldn't do what I do without it. But what's interesting is, is as the mom, I feel like every single stage of motherhood demands a different version of me, Like, a different kind of energy and attention. And so I try not to force myself into old rhythms that no longer serve me. Like, when summer hit this year, I was like, this is a whole new ball game. This is new kids, new needs. How are we going to do this as a family? Like, we are all under one roof, all hours of the day, and I still got to get work done. And so just really looking at time as my currency and my return on my investment matters both in work and in motherhood. And so I am constantly asking, like, what moves the needle and what makes the most difference, not just in my business, but in my life? Like, what's worth the limited energy and time that I have today? And I've had to be okay with doing fewer things better, like setting super hard boundaries. One of my friends is teasing me today because I just say no to everything. Like, I literally say no to 99% of the things. And I build in as much white space as possible because I know that I want to be able to pivot. As soon as I'm done with this podcast, we're heading to the beach with a bunch of friends. And, like, that is the priority. I'm cutting out of work early. And so those are the types of things where it's like, it's gonna be a trade off. And I've had to learn so many times is, like, success isn't about doing it all it's about showing up fully where it matters the most. And really quick, because you asked, how important is social media, specifically Instagram? Let's talk about it. If. I mean, totally honest, I would quit Instagram tomorrow if I could. There are parts of it that I genuinely do, like. Like, I love connecting with my community. I love being in the dms. Today I was sending voice memos to people who had reached out, and they were like, I can't believe you took the time to not only read this, but to, like, respond. Personally, I still love connecting and I love sharing creatively. Like, there are days where I'm just, like, so excited to share, but the platform itself has changed a lot. Like, it is noisier, it is more performative. It often feels like a treadmill you can't get off of. And it's like, trends that you can't keep up with. Right? And so I treat Instagram like a tool. It's not my business. It's not the only place I show up. It's a place people might discover me, but it's not where I build my house, right? I build things. I own my podcast, my email list, my offers, because those are mine. Those are assets that I own, and they are more in my control and more sustainable. And so Instagram can still be powerful if you're strategic. But I always ask, like, why am I posting this? If it's about to start a conversation or build trust or offer value, great. If it's just to stay relevant or mentally check that box off of my list of, like, I need to show up today, then that's probably a no for me. And that's why I post way less frequently. I think I've done, like, talking head Instagram stories twice in the last year, and so I just am using it differently, and I'm using it to point people somewhere deeper. And I also just have good boundaries around logging off. Like, I want to live my life. I want to build my business. Social media is just a single door. It's not access to the whole house. And that's how I look at that.
- [23:22]
Listener
Hi, Jenna. My name is Rachel Champa and I'm from Massachusetts. I just started my art business, CN Linen, about a year ago, and I had a question for you about pricing. I'm trying to figure out what's the best way to price my work. Quote, unquote.
- [23:37]
Jenna Kutcher
Right, Rachel, I love this question because it's one every single entrepreneur bumps into and wrestles with, especially when turning something you love into a business. So first, I Kind of have to ruin it and say, there is no perfect formula. Pricing isn't about getting it quote right. It's about choosing something that reflects your value and helps you keep your business sustainable. I will never forget when I was starting my photography business. The first time somebody paid me to take photos, I felt like I earned a million dollars. But I was not at all paying attention to my time, right? Like, I was like, oh my gosh, they paid me $50. I 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? And 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. I 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, is 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. How 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? Because I have more experience under my belt. I have a bigger portfolio. And so I always leverage that and was able to raise my prices every wedding season because I was shooting 20, 25 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. It 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 and 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. So 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. Okay, I've got to tell you about a podcast that I'm completely hooked on right now. It's called this is Small Business and it's brand new season explores one of my all time favorite themes, Taking bold risks. Hosted by the amazing Andrea Marquez, this season pulls you behind the curtain as she sits down with founders who transform their maybe one day ideas into let's do this success stories. We're talking nail biting moments, raw honesty about the hustle, and powerful advice that lights a fire in you. I got actual chills just listening to the trailer. Like every single story makes me pause and think, wow, we literally all start somewhere. And if you've ever felt that tug to take your next big leap. This season might be the exact push and confidence boost you've been waiting for. So do yourself a favor. Follow this is Small Business on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. These stories will move you, motivate you, and remind you that courage is the first step towards chasing what really matters. This message is sponsored by Greenlight As a mom, I've been thinking a lot about how to teach my kids real money lessons. The other day I took them to Target and Coco picked out a toy. She had her little purse with her, so I pulled out the amount of money she would need to spend in order to buy that toy to help her make her decision. But let's be honest, as a mom, carrying around a kid's purse with $50 and change is not fun. So I started researching better ways to teach her about money. And that's how I found Green Light. Green Light is a debit card and money app for families that helps kids learn to save, spend and invest wisely. With parents always staying in control. I love that you can assign chores, send money to their kid wallet and keep an eye on how they use it. It turns everyday moments into money lessons that stick. Green Light is the easy, convenient way for parents to raise financially smart kids and for families to navigate life together. Maybe that's why millions of parents trust and kids love learning about money on Greenlight, the number one family finance and safety app. Don't wait to teach your kids real world money skills. Start your risk free Green Light trial today@greenlight.com gold digger that's greenlight.com gold digger to get started greenlight.com gold digger hi.
- [30:04]
Listener
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.
- [30:35]
Jenna Kutcher
Hi 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. So 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 or 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. And 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. Frame 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 are 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? And then we've 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, 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. Most 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. And 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.
- [34:40]
Listener
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?
- [35:10]
Jenna Kutcher
Oh, 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. I 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 date and it all falls off of 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. So 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 process, you can take pieces of that and apply it to the next thing you take on. Right? Like, even across social media platforms, yes, each platform works a little bit differently. But once you create a flow in 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. And so we love a platform called Monday.com. if you go to jennalovesmonday.com you can kind of see how we use it and we 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. It 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. However, 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. 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.
- [39:34]
Listener
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.
- [39:51]
Jenna Kutcher
Okay, 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. What 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. A lot of times we get so obsessed with the features of our offers because we're so obsessed, 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. The 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. 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. I'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? Why 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. More on that in just a sec. When I first launched my own digital shop, it was to share tools I'd originally created for myself. Things like templates, pricing guides, editing presets. But I honestly had a lot of what ifs. What if I had to manually set up the entire site? What if managing orders became a full time job? What if I couldn't get people to actually go to my shop? Then I found Shopify and those what ifs slowly turned into why nots. Because Shopify takes care of everything for you. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started like mine once was. Can't design a site. Shopify's got beautiful ready to go templates. Need help? 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- [47:03]
Listener
Hi Jenna, this is Stephanie calling from Pennsylvania and my biggest question right now is differentiating myself as Stephanie, the brand versus Stephanie business brand. Should I focus on me, myself and my brand or build a business and have it kind of be to different brands?
- [47:31]
Jenna Kutcher
So 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 like 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. And if you followed me for a long time, you might have 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. And 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. 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. And 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. And 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. 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. Like, 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. And 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.
- [51:34]
Listener
Hi Jenna. My name is Megan Chenci 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, owning a Grove Juicery themselves. So 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.
- [52:20]
Jenna Kutcher
So here's maybe my unpopular opinion. I asked 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. But what I think they're missing is like divided focus brings diluted results and often expanding can stretch Your time, your team, and your piece. 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? Like, 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 ChatGPT to say, like, 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. I 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? I think that's a huge way to figure out who the right partner 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. And 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. Thank 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 to go to the beach. So Coco, what do we always say at the end until until next time. Keep on digging your biggest goals. Good job, Coco. Where are we headed? Beach. 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 filled you with inspiration, gave you information that you can turn 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 diggerpodcast.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.