In this episode of the Queen of Automation podcast, I sat down with Allison Ditmer, and honestly, this conversation hit on so many layers of what it really looks like to build a business that actually supports your life instead of consuming it. Allison joined me from cold, snowy Ohio, which immediately bonded us because Midwest winters are not for the weak, and we kicked things off talking about her background, her career pivot, and how she found her way into building a LinkedIn-driven business that actually works.

She spent 15 years in the corporate world in digital marketing, working closely with brand teams, strategy, and large-scale websites. She talked openly about what it’s like to get comfortable in corporate, how predictable it can feel, and why that predictability can be both a safety net and a trap. COVID became a major turning point for her, especially while juggling back-to-back calls at home with young kids, and she realized she wanted something different. Not a side hustle. Not a perfectly mapped plan. Just something that gave her more freedom and control over her time.

What I loved about Allison’s story is that she didn’t leave corporate with a perfectly polished business idea. She left because she knew the structure she was in no longer fit the life she wanted. From there, she built a business around LinkedIn, helping executives and fractional leaders turn their presence into a real client-generating machine, not just content for content’s sake. We talked a lot about how LinkedIn has changed, why authenticity actually matters now, and how building relationships beats spamming people with DMs every single time.

We also dug into work-life balance, or as I like to call it, the myth of work-life balance. Allison shared how she thinks more in terms of alignment than balance, designing days that work for her energy, her family, and her business. We talked about burnout, permission to rest when you hit that wall, and why beating yourself up for being tired never actually helps. This was one of those conversations that feels validating if you’re a parent, a founder, or honestly just a human trying to do too much at once.

This episode is really about redefining success on your own terms, building a business that fits your real life, and using platforms like LinkedIn intentionally instead of letting them run you. Allison’s approach is grounded, practical, and refreshingly honest, and I think anyone navigating a career pivot, building a personal brand, or trying to reclaim time will take something meaningful away from this conversation.

Connect with Allison on LinkedIn to keep up with her work and insights.