Send us a text A problem I struggled with this year was trying to figure out how to connect with my right-fit clients and stakeholders. It was a problem that I kept circling around like a kind of doom loop. Finally, I stopped because when I'm stuck in a doom loop it means something needs to change: I need to do more research or I need to think abou…

Send us a text One of the most effective ways to promote your business is to offer events: workshops, classes, and networking opportunities to name a few. But not all events are created equal. To learn more about what goes into creating memorable, transformative events, I spoke with Heather Black, a speaking strategist and event expert. Heather has…

Send us a text Painful though it is, failure is really a business owner’s best teacher if you frame your failures in a way that allows you to fail forward. In this episode I talk about six ways you can reframe failure and use failure as a springboard to success. Not saying that you'll ever enjoy failing. You're human. But at least you'll learn to t…

Send us a text If I asked you whether you intentionally made it difficult for people to say yes to your offers, you would be shocked. Of course you don’t! You want to make it as easy as possible! Ah, but what you don’t know can hurt you. More specifically there are dozens of hidden choke points people encounter that cause them to ignore your offers…

Send us a text If there were only one question I could ask heart-centered business owners it would be this: What do you really want to create? Assuming it were absolutely possible. I love this question because it immediately blows past all the obstacles and things we don't want and shifts our focus on something wonderful; what we DO want. In this e…

Send us a text I often tell people that owning a business is a hero’s journey. Nothing is going to stretch you and push your buttons more than the daily adventures of running a business. Leslie Boyce knows this better than most people. Over the course of her career Leslie has been a cabaret performer, owner of a local gym, and is now a business coa…

Send us a text Something I think a lot about (too much perhaps) is getting to the reasons people choose us. There are always going to be a lot of people who are doing work that is similar to what we do. There are always going to be people who promise the same outcomes. And yet our client choose to specifically work with us. For lack of a better wor…

Send us a text Coaching is largely process-driven similar to therapy and although our clients receive real benefits, those benefits can be subtle and hard to articulate. For this reason I often find myself reluctant to ask people to pay me. Or when prospective clients push back on the price I quote, I cave pretty quickly. From the many conversation…

Send us a text If you do fantastic work and help clients get results no one cares if you're a misfit. It’s such a relief to know you can be yourself, fly your freak flag (if you so choose) and do what you do well in the way you do it. If you have devoted fans they will be delighted to send more clients and customers your way because it feels good t…

Send us a text When you are a great, trusted referral source, you have two very powerful social contracts working in your favor: You get to be a kind of "rock star" to your peers (you know about a great resource your peers don't yet know about). When you give a referral the business to whom you give the referral very much wants to return the favor.…

Send us a text Most of us think of life challenges as obstacles to creating a successful business. What if instead your challenge became a springboard to creating something instead? When she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, Cheyenne Dorsagno decided to use her experience to create an entirely new business so she could help others who are facing th…

Send us a text This is really embarrassing for a me to admit as a marketing professional. I have a very hard time handling the praise people give me and my work. It's not a simple issue either. I can't think or talk myself out of this issue. Perhaps you can relate? Or there's something else that makes success hard for you to own? In this podcast I …

Send us a text Nothing kicks my butt (and perhaps yours as well) than looking at my business numbers. When the numbers aren’t what you want all kinds of negative emotions come up. But finances and the numbers are an extremely important part of owning a business. Your reluctance to look at the numbers has a negative impact on all parts of your busin…

Send us a text It might surprise you (it surprised me) that we choose the role of victim a lot more than we realize. It's quite normal to wish we could just win the lottery and all our problems would be solved. It's normal to want to be saved by a big, cool person in our field; it's normal to assumed we're doomed (unless we're saved); it's normal t…

Send us a text If you're like many service-based business owners I talk with, finding ways to stand out to your right-fit clients is always a challenge. I had a great conversation with Emily McGregor of PenguinCat Creative about how her agency uses humor and storytelling to create unique marketing that gets attention and conversions. Want to find o…

Send us a text We know at a gut level that there are right-fit clients “out there”; people for whom if they just knew we existed would be thrilled to hire us. And at the same time it feels very, very challenging to stand out in this very noisy, cluttered virtual marketplace in which there are so many people making claims similar to ours. How do our…

Send us a text It seems absurd that anyone would fear success. As small business owners everything we do is in service to creating sustainable business which empower others. And yet I, myself, often experience episodes of pure panic when someone says “yes” or when a Substack post gets an enthusiastic review. Seriously, I’ve yet to read a positive t…

Send us a text There are influencers out there who will tell you owning a business is a no-brainer. Just enroll in their $25,000 course and the money will roll in while you sip cocktails on the beach. The money is rolling for them. The money will not be rolling in for you. Small business ownership is the essence of adventure. Owning a small busines…

Send us a text If you’ve been in the entrepreneurial realm for more than a nano-second, you’ve no doubt heard the seductive promises of passive revenue. Write a book or create a course and your evergreen content is out there for millions of eager people to buy. You can lay on a beach in some tropical paradise and the money will roll in like magic. …

Send us a text We don't talk much about integrity in small business circles. This is probably because integrity can smack of moral judgement. But integrity is actually about how we show up for ourselves and for our values. When we get out of integrity, we create messy, avoidable problems for ourselves and our business. In this podcast I share how I…

Send us a text I probably don't have to tell you that we can be our own worst enemies when it comes to creating a sustainable business that makes a difference. Shadow gremlins, scary stories, old insecurities all conspire to keep you small, invisible...and safe. A strong resilient "root system" is the key to creating the business and difference you…

Send us a text A common concern I hear from small business owners is the amount of time and effort it takes to enroll a right-fit client. Boy do I understand! On average I need have discovery calls with 10 interested people in order to sign someone up for my one on one coaching package. That's a lot of conversations to have. Fortunately, it CAN be …

Send us a text There are virtual summits for every imaginable profession and business focus. Perhaps you've attended a few? Speaking at a summit, like speaking at a live event, can be a great way to share your expertise, gain recognition, and cultivate win-win relationships. Suzanne Culberg (20 + speaking engagements at summits) shares her experien…

Send us a text As a small business owner you know how noisy and cluttered the marketplace feels. It can feel so difficult to make sure your ideal clients hear YOUR message! It's not enough to be different. You need to be distinctive: different in a way your people care about. In this podcast I talk about my process for creating a provocative, disti…

Send us a text There are a lot of bright, shiny things we're told we must have when it comes to business marketing: a cool website, lots of social media engagement, an awesome logo, a podcast, etc. etc. All of these help make us visible to potential clients and that's great. But without more direct contact over time, we will fail to create the trus…

Send us a text When it comes to word of mouth marketing and referrals, one of most common questions people have is: How do I keep in touch with people in a way that doesn’t feel icky and transactional? To answer this question, I talked with Suzanne Culberg who has a very manageable process for keeping in touch with business contacts. I like Suzanne…

Send us a text I deliberately chose not to record a podcast the week I was on vacation. The fact that I fully owned my decision and didn't feel freaked out was a business win. In this episode I share how my attitude and practice around play and resting have changed over the years. And how I've learned to honor my need for rest before I turn into a …

Send us a text I do not believe AI will put all content creators out of business. However, lot of content creators are stressed out because they’re worried about being replaced. As result they are more cautious about what they create because they don’t want to unnecessarily offend people. They don’t want to lose readers. The delicious irony is when…

Send us a text A recent survey showed most small business owners think referrals and recommendations are the best way to connect with their ideal clients. And yet, conversations I've had with these business owners reveals despite the benefits of word of mouth marketing, they tend not to put much time and effort into tending referrals. There are goo…

Send us a text Like a lot of small business owner, I've hired my share of expensive business coaches who promised me they'd help me build a six-figure practice in record time. The problem was, their amazing method worked for people like them, people who loved to sell and promote themselves. I would say what works for dogs (people who love to sell) …

Send us a text If you're a heart-centered, mission-focused small business owner, it can be challenging to talk about what you do in a way that is clear, concise, and memorable. This is one of the biggest concerns I hear from the people I work with. And there is a lot of bad advice suggesting you create what is basically an elevator speech when you …

Send us a text It's strange to me that we rarely talk about the importance of managing conflict as a marketing skill. After all, if marketing is about cultivating trust-based business relationships, addressing conflict seems more than a little important. Here is how I handle (or avoid mishandling) inevitable conflicts and misunderstandings in a way…

Send us a text There are marketing phrases that are considered the "standard" for describing a particular activity that make my stomach clench. One example is the term "Lead Magnet" which describes giving something valuable away in exchange for the person's email address. I don't mind the idea behind the term, lead magnet. It's a great way to begin…

Send us a text Today I’m sharing a recent talk I gave to a community of women business owners. Topics I cover are: What makes word of mouth marketing so powerful. Why we don’t get as many referrals as we expect (when we know we have devoted fans) The six steps you need to put into place to open your flow of right-fit referrals The reason we don’t p…

Send us a text Yes, you can find marketing activities you actually enjoy and create great results. Here's my story of how I stopped doing marketing I hated to marketing I genuinely love. If you find the Marketing Root Work podcast valuable, please become a subscriber! My mission is to change the way small business owners market themselves and it’s …

Send us a text Our culture tells us our success is all about pushing and striving. It's all on us and our individual effort. But this ignores the incredibly powerful effects that our environments have on us. Humans beings are highly sensitive and quickly adapt to the environments that surround us. Why not design your environments so they bring out …

Send us a text I know, the minute someone asks you who your idea clients are you immediately think of all the opportunities you'll lose by focusing on one or two different client types. And I know, it can be hard to choose and define a niche when your niche is based largely on intangibles such as a person's beliefs or values. Nonetheless, it's impo…

Send us a text Despite the economic uncertainty, people are still buying things. They are still buying services with less tangible outcomes. I know coaches and therapists and healers who are doing quite well in 2025. Truly. In fact, I’d argue that if you are offering deeply personal services to help and heal people they need what you offer even mor…

Send us a text If you are a heart-centered, mission-focused business owner, it can feel more than a little daunting to feel seen by the people who want what you offer. The online marketplace is cluttered and crazy. People who love to self-promote and deep-pocket corporations tend to get the most attention. Which is why (surprise, surprise) I encour…

Send us a text When you think of public speaking what comes to mind? Maybe you think of motivational speakers who are killing it with massive audiences. My guest, Jenn Espinosa-Goswami, says those motivational speakers are just a tiny sliver of what is possible in public speaking. In fact, Jenn told me anyone who is interested can absolutely succee…

Send us a text 99% of the advice we hear is to endorse our strengths. That our strengths are business assets. However I'm going to be a contrarian and suggest what you consider your greatest liability may in fact be your best marketing asset. I promise I'll make it all clear in today's podcast :-) If you find the Marketing Root Work podcast valuabl…

Send us a text It's easy to get caught up in wanting to write in a certain "way." The way you think writers are "supposed" to write. Seriously, the world does not need more bland, over processed writing. AI is already doing an excellent job pumping lots of boring but useful information into the world. The world, in particular, your ideal clients, c…

Send us a text Our "mojo" is what makes us distinct from the many other folks who offer similar products and services. AND it can be challenging to find words that capture the essence of our mojo. Which is why I'm a big fan of creating mojo products that capture not only what we do but the unique way in which we do our work! Here are my thoughts an…

Send us a text Most of the promotions we are exposed to are for consumer products and services. The biggest challenge in consumer marketing is how to make something that is not special seem special. If you are a heart-centered business owner this is not your problem You ARE special! Your marketing needs to communicate what make you distinctive to y…

Send us a text How often does another person say to you "I appreciate you"? Probably not very often. It's not because people don't appreciate you. It's because in our relentlessly results-oriented culture, we rarely take a moment to pause and remember the people who are making a profound, positive difference in our lives. After my dad died I decide…

Send us a text There are so many resources available telling us exactly what we need to do to have a successful business. And yet, there remains a very large gap between what most of us aspire to and where we actually are. In my experience, I first need to tend to my own stuff, to do my root work. Until I do, I can work my butt off and still may be…

Send us a text As human beings we long to belong and be approved of by our peers. However, if you are someone who is mission-focused and wants to make a positive difference you are going to be criticized by some people. It simply comes with the territory. In 2025 I encourage you to take be your authentic self even though it may not feel comfortable…

Send us a text Everyone loves when referrals work out but sometimes they don't. Here's what I learned as a client when a referral didn't go well. And how what i learned applies now as a business owner interested in making sure when I'm the one being referred that every goes well for all parties involved. If you find the Marketing Root Work podcast …

Send us a text There is a crazy myth in marketing world that the minute you launch a new product or service it will take off like gangbusters. This is a myth. It is B.S. It take time and experimentation to create sales momentum. It takes time to gain visibility and it takes time and creativity to come up with a compelling offer. This is the nature …

Send us a text Ah money! You can't have a business without it and money tends to be an especially fraught issue for women. Even for women who are very successful entrepreneurs and business owners. In this episode, Laura offers her practical, compassionate perspective on how she helps and empowers women around asking for, earning, and having money. …