Épisodes

  • Ep.94-Lead Beyond What You Sell

    Ep.94-Lead Beyond What You Sell
    Jul 16 2025
    Lead Beyond What You Sell: How Civic Engagement Transforms Your Business and Your Life This is my last writing from Poland, in between teaching leadership and civic engagement to a powerhouse group of women who are ready to lead in business, in their communities, and in their everyday lives. And as I sit with these conversations and experiences, one thing keeps coming up again and again—not just here, but in every room I’ve ever entered as a woman in business: Civic engagement isn’t just a community concept. It’s a business strategy. A life principle. A leadership lens. And if you’re building something that matters—something purpose-driven, sustainable, and rooted in real connection—then this is your reminder: you are already a civic leader in the way you show up, serve, and lead with intention. What Is Civic Engagement… Really? It’s more than town halls and ballot boxes. It’s organizing a local event, mentoring someone in your industry, creating a program that gives back, or using your platform to uplift voices that aren’t always heard. It’s contributing to something bigger than yourself—and that’s exactly what strong business leaders do. Whether you're a solopreneur, nonprofit founder, or creative entrepreneur, this is the work that makes your business unforgettable. Why Civic Engagement Matters for Entrepreneurs If you want to build a business that’s sustainable and meaningful, here’s why civic engagement should be part of your strategy: It builds trust. Showing up for your community builds a foundation that no amount of ad dollars can buy. It increases visibility—authentically. People want to know what you care about, not just what you sell. It opens doors. Some of my biggest opportunities have come from community work, not cold outreach. This is where purpose-driven entrepreneurship thrives—where your mission and your message align with action. Three Ways to Lead With Civic Impact Align with a cause that matters to you. Not one that looks good on paper, but one that makes you feel something. Bake that cause into your brand, your content, your services. Engage with your local and online community. Host an event, join a panel, volunteer, offer mentorship. Be known as someone who contributes—not just sells. Create leadership opportunities inside your ecosystem. If you have a membership, mastermind, or community group, give people space to lead. Let them bring their voices, talents, and stories to the table. That’s how true community-building happens. Why This Work Keeps Me Going? I’m balancing a lot right now—teaching abroad, running Dandelion-Inc, editing my book, raising two growing boys, showing up for my marriage and my community. But I keep going because I know my why. I’m not chasing performance. I’m investing in impact. I’m not here just for income. I’m building for legacy. And here’s what I want you to know: Leadership isn’t something you earn. It’s something you practice. So ask yourself today: How can I lead from where I am and serve beyond what I sell? Because if you start there? Everything shifts. Want Support With This? Come find me over at Dandelion-Inc. You don’t have to figure it all out alone. Inside the Dandelion community, we’re building smarter—not harder—and doing it together. 🌼 Until next time, keep planting the seeds. Listen to the full conversation here.Don't forget to check out our blog, beyond the podcast, by clicking here.
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    10 min
  • Ep.93-5 Low-Lift Ways to Diversify Your Income

    Ep.93-5 Low-Lift Ways to Diversify Your Income
    Jul 9 2025
    Build While You’re Away: 5 Low-Lift Ways to Diversify Your Income Right now, I’m sitting in Poland—still in awe of the powerful women I’ve met while teaching leadership and civic engagement across the region. It’s been energizing, eye-opening, and humbling all at once. But even in the midst of this incredible work, I’m reminded that back home… my business is still running. Not because I’m glued to my laptop. Not because I’ve cloned myself. But because I’ve intentionally built income streams that don’t rely on me being live and present every day. And let me tell you something: If all my income was tied to just one client, one paycheck, or one launch—this opportunity wouldn’t have been possible. So let’s talk about how you can create that same freedom. You don’t need a big team or months of planning. You just need to work smarter with what you already have. Why Solopreneurs Struggle with Income Diversity We often think that to earn more, we have to do more. But adding more to our plates is the fastest way to burn out—especially when we’re running everything solo. The truth? You already have assets, content, and knowledge that people want. The key is recognizing it and packaging it with intention. Step 1: Audit What You Already Have Ask yourself: What am I always being asked about? What resources have I created for clients or community? What topics do I talk about again and again? For me, it was things like: Time management strategies Community-building frameworks How to stay consistent online How to balance family, business, and service These became the foundations of my worksheets, mini-courses, and digital resources. Step 2: Repackage Without Reinventing You don’t need a polished course or 12-week program to make money. You just need to solve one small problem clearly. Here are some quick examples: Turn a repeat client process into a $15 workbook Trim down a past workshop into an audio mini-course That go-to pep talk? Bundle it into a simple digital guide Think clean, simple, and clear—not perfect. Step 3: Batch Your Energy (The Solopreneur Way) When you don’t have a VA or team, batching becomes your best friend. Try this: Block off 2–3 hours/week to work ON your business Pick one format to start: PDF, audio, Canva template—whatever’s easiest Batch your tasks: Week 1: Write the content Week 2: Design it Week 3: Upload and write promo copy Use tools like Canva, Flodesk, Payhip, and Pally to keep it simple. Step 4: Plug It Into Your Ecosystem Once it’s created—don’t let it sit in Google Drive purgatory. Add it to an email funnel as a $10–$30 upsell Share it on social weekly (rotate tips, testimonials, behind-the-scenes) Offer it as a bonus in your membership or community This is what I’ve done with my Time Mastery mini-course—it’s short, simple, and adds value without adding work. Step 5: Add Low-Lift Affiliate Income I know many of you are already recommending tools and products to others. Why not earn from it? You can: Add affiliate links to tools like Canva, Flodesk, podcasting gear Include a resources page on your site Drop links in email footers or social posts You’re already doing the sharing—this just makes it strategic. Final Step: Give Yourself Permission to Start Small Perfection is a delay tactic. Some of the best money I’ve made came from messy, scrappy launches that weren’t “ready.” And guess what? Everything you build now will evolve anyway. So don’t wait to get it “just right.” Just start. You Are Not Stuck If you’re feeling like all your income is tied to one client, one job, or one big launch—I see you. I’ve been you. But I promise: You already have everything you need to begin creating new income streams that run without you. Start by auditing what you’ve already created. Pick one piece. Block time this week.
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    13 min
  • Ep.92-The Stretch and the Spark

    Ep.92-The Stretch and the Spark
    Jul 2 2025
    Butterflies Mean Go: What Teaching in Poland Is Really Teaching Me Five days into this whirlwind experience, and I still can't quite believe it. I’m in Poland, teaching leadership and civic engagement to women who are ready to make real change in their communities—and in themselves. It sounds glamorous. And yes, it’s incredible. But it’s also real life. While I’m over here helping women grow, I’m also checking in on my boys’ lacrosse schedule, responding to client messages, making sure my husband’s holding down the fort, and—oh yeah—getting developmental edits on my first book. This Isn’t a Vacation—It’s a Masterclass in Being Stretched There’s no pause button when you’re a woman in business, a parent, and a leader. And honestly? I wouldn’t want one. Because I’m not here for the hustle anymore. I’m here for alignment. For meaningful growth. For impact that lasts beyond a calendar invite or a social media post. Every day I’m here, I’m reminded: This isn’t just a trip. This is a full-body yes to the life I’ve been building—brick by brick, moment by messy moment. Building Dandelion-Inc From Across the Globe Yes, I’m still working while abroad. Because Dandelion-Inc isn’t just a business—it’s a living, breathing community. It’s women supporting women. It’s accountability, purpose, and momentum. And even from across the ocean, I’m still fully in it. Because being in it means pouring into others—and growing roots and wings at the same time. Let’s Talk About the Book The butterflies really started fluttering when I opened that email with my first round of developmental edits. Equal parts panic, joy, and a weird calm that whispered: This is happening. This is the story I’ve wanted to tell for years. It flew out of me faster than I expected—but sharing it? That’s the part that feels raw and vulnerable and so, so worth it. And it brought me back to eighth grade. When I wrote a paper about Teddy Roosevelt—not because I had to, but because something about his leadership made me sit up a little taller. His quote still guides me today: “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” That’s the energy I’m bringing into this chapter. Trying. Failing sometimes. Growing always. If You’re Waiting for the Perfect Time—Don’t This trip, this podcast, this business, this book—they didn’t come from waiting. They came from starting. Even when it wasn’t perfect. Especially when it wasn’t perfect. So if you’re standing at the edge of something new and the butterflies are showing up, don’t take it as a sign to stop. Take it as your sign to go. Show up messy. Show up scared. Show up. Because growth doesn’t wait for perfect. And neither should you. Let’s Keep Growing Together Want more insights like this? Sign up for my newsletter at Dandelion-Inc.com and get weekly strategies to help you grow your business with confidence! Listen to the full conversation here.Don't forget to check out our blog, beyond the podcast, by clicking here.
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    8 min
  • Ep.91-The Quiet Path to Being Seen

    Ep.91-The Quiet Path to Being Seen
    Jun 25 2025
    You Don’t Need to Be a Social Media Zombie to Grow Your Business If you’ve ever found yourself staring blankly at your phone thinking, “Do I really have to post again today?” — you’re not alone. Lisa Resnick Hey, it’s Lisa — and I want to talk about something a lot of us feel but rarely say out loud:Social media burnout is real, and it’s okay if showing up online 24/7 isn’t how you want to grow your business. We’ve been fed this idea that in order to be successful, we need to post constantly, dance for Reels (no shame if that’s your jam), and build this perfectly curated digital presence. And while consistency can help build trust — you’ve heard me say that more than once — it’s not the only path to growth. So if you’re exhausted, uninspired, or just straight-up annoyed with the pressure to be online all the time... take a breath. This post is your permission slip to explore something different. 🌱 Visibility Doesn’t Mean Constantly Being Visible Your business is real. Your ideas are valid. Your voice matters.And no, you don’t have to chase likes to prove it. There are other (read: better aligned) ways to grow your visibility, reach new audiences, and build credibility. Let’s talk about a few of them. 1. Podcasting Changed Everything for Me No joke — podcasting has completely shifted how I show up, how I connect, and how I grow. It lets me share my voice (literally) without having to be camera-ready or tied to trends. It’s intimate, evergreen, and incredibly powerful for building trust with your audience. And the best part?You don’t need a massive following to make an impact. If you’ve been toying with the idea of starting your own podcast but don’t know where to begin, this is your moment. I created a self-paced digital course just for beginners. It walks you through everything — from recording your first episode to launching with confidence. And because I believe in real support, if you sign up using this link, you’ll also get a free 90-minute 1:1 consult with me to help you align your podcast with your brand, your business, and your goals. 2. Don’t Want Your Own Show (Yet)? Be a Guest. Not ready to host your own podcast? No worries.You can still show up, share your knowledge, and get in front of new audiences by being a guest on someone else’s podcast, newsletter, or live chat. These platforms are always looking for meaningful voices — yes, including yours. When you show up for someone else’s audience, you build visibility without reinventing the wheel. Win-win. 3. Talk to People. Really. We’re so used to digital everything that we sometimes forget the power of real conversations. Tell your friends, your circle, your past clients what you’re working on. Ask for introductions. Follow up. (Seriously — follow-up is the secret sauce.) 4. That Email List You’ve Been Ignoring? It’s Time. Still one of the most underrated tools in your business. You don’t need fancy templates. You need you — your voice, your message, your presence in someone’s inbox. And all the things I mentioned above? They’re great ways to build that list with intention. 5. Speak, Teach, Share Host a workshop, lead a webinar, offer to join a panel — virtually or in-person. These are incredible ways to share your value and be seen without having to show up daily on Instagram. These moments build trust, create connections, and help your audience say, “Ah, she gets it.” ✨ So Here’s the Thing... I’m not telling you to abandon social media. I’m just saying…It doesn’t have to own you. It doesn’t get to define your worth, your success, or your potential. Let go of the pressure to be everywhere and start being more intentional about where you want to show up. You are allowed to grow your business in a way that works for your life — not against it. And if podcasting feels like your next best step? I’ve got you. 🎧 Click here to check out my beginner podcasting course and claim your free 90...
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    12 min
  • Ep.90-Making Work Work for Everyone

    Ep.90-Making Work Work for Everyone
    Jun 18 2025
    Making Work Work for Everyone: Why Real DEI Is More Than a Buzzword This week on The Seed, I welcomed back someone I deeply admire—Stacey Gordon. She’s not just a global leadership strategist and DEI expert… she’s a truth-teller, a disruptor, and someone who has been doing this work long before it became a corporate checkbox. Bringing Stacey back on wasn’t just a catch-up. It was necessary. With everything going on right now—from illegal attacks on DEI to the quiet unraveling of policies that were meant to create safer, more inclusive spaces—I knew it was time for us to have the hard conversations again. And if I’m being honest, Stacey’s first episode on The Seed felt like a warning we didn’t want to hear, but absolutely needed to. This episode? It’s the follow-up we all need. We talked about: Why DEI is not illegal, despite the rhetoric. What “making work work” really means—and who’s being left out. How fear, bias, and legacy hiring are holding companies back. Why employee retention is suffering—and what leaders can do today to change that. How to lead with courage and strategy instead of fear and reaction. And yes, we talked about unconscious bias, the performative nonsense some companies still call DEI, and the leadership vacuum we’re seeing in real time. It’s not light listening. But it’s vital. Stacey said something that stuck with me: “You can’t fight an elephant you won’t name.” And that’s what this episode is about—naming the issues, not sugarcoating the truth, and figuring out how to lead better from wherever you are. If you’re in a leadership role, an HR seat, or even just someone showing up for your team every day—you need to hear this one. Because staying silent isn’t neutral. And making decisions out of fear will never lead to real change. So take a deep breath, hit play, and lean in. 🎧 Listen now! 💡 Want to dig deeper? Grab Stacey’s book Unbias: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work and follow her work at Rework Work and on Substack. Because the work doesn’t end when the headlines fade. And if you’re here, you’re someone who’s ready to do it right. Want more insights like this? Sign up for my newsletter at Dandelion-Inc.com and get weekly strategies to help you grow your business with confidence! Listen to the full conversation here.Don't forget to check out our blog, beyond the podcast, by clicking here.
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    39 min
  • Ep.89-Life, Unfiltered: Regenerative Living with Iris

    Ep.89-Life, Unfiltered: Regenerative Living with Iris
    Jun 11 2025
    Life, Unfiltered: A Conversation on Regeneration with Iris This week’s podcast episode with Iris was one of those conversations that stayed with me long after we hit stop. Before you even press play, I want to give you a little heads-up: you're going to hear background sounds. Some birds, some people, a bit of real life happening in real time. And honestly? I wouldn’t change a thing. Because that is the heartbeat of this episode—real life, real energy, real connection. Iris is currently living in Costa Rica, walking the walk when it comes to regenerative living. But her journey didn’t start there. From working in sustainability consulting and feeling the weight of corporate contradiction, to paving muddy soccer fields in Cambodia for children to have moments of joy—every step of her story has been a move toward something deeper, more aligned, and more free. In our conversation, we dive into what “regeneration” actually means. Not just for the planet, but for ourselves. Our energy. Our choices. Our money. Our mindset. It’s about learning to live in a way that not only sustains—but heals. A life that isn’t built on burnout or scarcity, but reciprocity and intention. And if you’re thinking, “That sounds amazing, but I can’t just move to Costa Rica…”—you’re not alone. Iris offers incredibly grounded wisdom for those of us who are living in busy cities, raising families, running businesses, and trying to figure it all out. It starts small. It starts with clarity. And it starts with a vision. Here’s what I loved most: Iris didn’t sugarcoat anything. She reminded us that growth is uncomfortable. That not everyone is going to understand your choices. That our ecosystems—both internal and external—are deeply connected. And that being part of something bigger doesn’t require perfection, it requires presence. At Dandelion-Inc, we talk a lot about alignment. About listening to your gut, getting clear on your vision, and finding a community that helps you stay rooted in your why. This episode is that message in motion. So, go ahead—press play. Let the sounds of real life and real transformation wash over you. And maybe, just maybe, ask yourself what regeneration looks like in your own world. Want more insights like this? Sign up for my newsletter at Dandelion-Inc.com and get weekly strategies to help you grow your business with confidence! Listen to the full conversation here.Don't forget to check out our blog, beyond the podcast, by clicking here.
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    27 min
  • Ep.88-Small But Mighty: Why a Tiny Audience Is a Big Deal

    Ep.88-Small But Mighty: Why a Tiny Audience Is a Big Deal
    Jun 4 2025
    Already In It: Stop Waiting to Arrive There’s this narrative out there that if you don’t have a massive following, your business isn’t legitimate. That unless you’ve hit 10K+ on Instagram, have a flood of email subscribers, or go viral at least once a month, you’re somehow behind. Let me call that out for what it is: complete BS. Founder and CEO of Dandelion-Inc Here’s the truth I wish more entrepreneurs knew from the start:You don’t need a huge audience to make a real impact. Read that again. I’ve been in those moments where you pour yourself into something—a post, a product, a program—and it lands with a whisper. 10 likes. 1 comment. Zero clicks. And you start to wonder if you’re shouting into the void. It sucks.But it’s not the void.It’s the beginning. When Seven Showed Up I remember launching one of my first Dandelion-Inc workshops and praying for 30 or 40 people to register. You know, the number I thought I needed to feel legit. Seven people came. And not gonna lie, I had that flash of panic. The inner critic showed up with all her old lines:“Cancel it.”“No one takes you seriously.”“You’re not big enough.” But something told me to show up anyway. To serve those seven like I would 70. And I did. Those seven? They became regulars. Collaborators. Cheerleaders. People who invited their friends, joined the community, and helped build the foundation of what Dandelion-Inc is today. That’s the power of showing up—even when the room is small. Depth > Width You don’t need thousands. You need connection.You don’t need to go viral. You need to build trust. When we focus so hard on growing our numbers, we lose sight of the very people already raising their hands saying, “I’m here. I’m in.” And the truth is: your next client, opportunity, or breakthrough probably isn’t coming from someone who scrolled past your reel. It’s coming from someone already in your space—someone who feels the impact of what you’re doing. So let me ask you… How well are you showing up for the people who already said yes? Are you nurturing your roots, or constantly reaching for the next “more”? What if this is the thing, not the thing before the thing? Because friend, you’re already in it.Already growing. Already making an impact. It’s time to stop waiting to arrive. Water What You Have Whether your audience is 10 or 10,000, it’s not about how many—it’s about how well.How well you connect.How well you serve.How well you care. We build businesses not by chasing attention, but by cultivating trust. Not by being mildly interesting to thousands, but by mattering deeply to a few. So today, I invite you to water what you have.Nurture the space you’re already holding.And trust that the roots you’re planting now will carry you further than any vanity metric ever could. You’ve got this. And I’m rooting for you—every step of the way. Want more insights like this? Sign up for my newsletter at Dandelion-Inc.com and get weekly strategies to help you grow your business with confidence! Listen to the full conversation here.Don't forget to check out our blog, beyond the podcast, by clicking here.
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    7 min
  • Ep.87-Sales Without the Ick: Communicating with Confidence and Connection

    Ep.87-Sales Without the Ick: Communicating with Confidence and Connection
    May 28 2025
    Sales Without the Ick: Real Talk with the Sales Maven There’s this word that makes a lot of entrepreneurs—especially women—tense up just hearing it:Sales. We’ve been conditioned to believe that selling has to feel pushy or performative. That if we’re not following a slick script or mastering every objection, we’re doing it wrong. But what if I told you it doesn’t have to be that way? This week on The Seed, I sat down with the incredible Nikki Rausch—aka The Sales Maven—to talk about how to reframe sales entirely. And let me tell you: it was one of those conversations that shifts how you feel, not just how you think. Sales Isn’t About Persuasion—It’s About Connection Nikki has an extensive background in the tech world as a professional sales rep, but what makes her approach so different is that she doesn’t teach how to convince people. She teaches how to connect with them. And as someone who’s building a business rooted in community, trust, and reciprocity, this hit home for me. She broke down how sales conversations don’t have to be awkward or robotic—they can be real. The secret? Learning how to communicate in a way that feels aligned and comfortable for the person on the other side. The Power of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) This wasn’t about buzzwords or manipulation. Nikki explained how NLP—neuro-linguistic programming—is really just a deep understanding of how people process information, the language they use, and the habits they follow. She even gave practical examples about things like matching someone’s rate of speech so you don’t accidentally shut them down. (Trust me, when she said, “Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape,” I had to pause and jot it down.) Why Scripts Don’t Work—and What Does So many people avoid selling because they think they have to use someone else’s words. Nikki shut that myth down fast. She shared that the key to success in sales isn’t scripting—it’s structure. Knowing what step you’re on in the conversation and how to move to the next one without skipping ahead. Spoiler: her five-step Selling Staircase is pure gold. It lets your personality lead while giving you a confident roadmap for the conversation. This Applies to Everyone—Even If You Don’t Think You’re “in Sales” If you’re thinking, “Well, I’m not really selling anything,” stop right there. Because if you’re running a business, pitching a nonprofit idea, growing a membership, talking about your services, or just trying to get your kid to eat dinner—you are selling something. Sales isn’t sleazy. It’s how we share, how we connect, and how we invite people into what we’re building. Free Gift for You: Questions That Close Sales Nikki is generously offering a free training to all The Seed listeners called Seal the Deal: Questions That Close Sales—and I promise, this resource is a game-changer. Grab it here: yoursalesmaven.com/seed If you’ve ever felt like you’re fumbling through sales calls, not sure what to say or how to guide the conversation—this is for you. At the end of the day, we all just want to be heard and seen. And when you lead your conversations from that place? That’s when the magic happens. 📩 Want more insights like this? Sign up for my newsletter at Dandelion-Inc.com and get weekly strategies to help you grow your business with confidence! Listen to the full conversation here.Don't forget to check out our blog, beyond the podcast, by clicking here.
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    32 min