The Boss Mom Podcast

All about your ideal client. In this episode of the Boss Mom podcast Dana and NJ chat about the idea of an ideal client, how to find yours, and why we shouldn't be married to the ideal of an ideal client. Let's dive right in! Listen to the podcast: Subscribe to the Boss Mom podcast in iTunes. In this episode you'll hear: How to discover your ideal client. How to find your ideal client. Why we adore the sales tactic of Ask, Listen, Provide. How Dana and NJ met. Why we need to find ideal clients who know what we're worth. How to gracefully let go of a client who isn't your ideal client. Why success sometimes feels scary. Recommended links and resources: Podcast Episode 29: Plant, Nurture, Grow, Pollinate All Up In Your Lady Business podcast episode with Dana NJ's blog A Cookie Before Dinner Chasing Dreams & Chasing LIttles Incubator Boss Mom Facebook Group Savvy Business Owner's Facebook Group Elizabeth Gilbert Ted Talk About Success Can I quote you on that? If you're marketing to people who don't love you as much as you love them, it's time to break up. - Dana Find your sweet spot- what you're passionate has to intersect with what you're good at and what you need. - Dana If you can solve the problems of your ideal client, you're magical to them. - NJ Facebook groups are the one place where social media feels social. - NJ Instagram and Twitter are a great place to initiate conversation and a Facebook group is a great place to take the connection further. - Dana I had to stop talking about me and I had to start talking about we. I'm not running a business, I'm running a movement. - Dana I'm not selling to you for the sake of selling to you. I'm sharing this with you because I believe that together we can do better. NJ If you're not working with your ideal client, it can be messy and painful. - Dana The first step in letting go of someone who isn't your ideal client is you letting go and recognizing that you have to move on. - Dana Your time is valuable and what you're putting out to the world is valuable. You need to make sure you're living in the spot where what you're passionate about, what you're good at, and what people need. -Dana When you say no to something, think about the things your saying yes to. - NJ Your ideal client will celebrate your gift and share it with the world. And they'll help you see what it is. And it is a beautiful, glorious cycle. - Dana Connect with Dana & NJ Dana: Instagram / Periscope (her total happy place) NJ : Website / Instagram (her total happy place) We love hearing from you guys! If you’ve got a question about today’s episode or want to leave us some inbox love, you can email us at hello@boss-mom.com Or, you can always find both of us hanging out in our Boss Mom Facebook Community. Lola's Easter Bonnet, as promised.

In this episode you hear: Amy's journey from working as a top producer in Australia to becoming a Boss Mom. How Amy's own search for mindfulness influenced her blog. How a pregnancy complication served as the catalyst to change in her life. The judgement factor all moms go through and how to over come it. The importance is having a tribe and give and take in relationships. The importance of self care and mindfulness in motherhood and business. Recommended links and resources: Happy Mama: A Guide To Finding Yourself Again The book is my journey to becoming a Happy Mama. It focus on the six key areas to be a happy mama- kindness, strength, trust, grace, value, and mindfulness/connection. We do a lot of work on parenting, but we don't learn how to be a woman while we're mothering. This book is about finding yourself again. Can I quote you on that? My daughter is one of my biggest teachers. - Amy When I was struggling with motherhood, the mommy blog scene was just starting. I needed more than this sucks, I need 3:00 pm wine. - Amy When I tapped into the idea that we don't have to put ourselves on hold, my blog started to really grow. I found my niche and voice. It flowed out of me and grew overnight. - Amy I decided I wasn't going to be all, my dreams had changed. I wanted to talk to moms about how to mums about how they could have real balance in their lives. - Amy I love to help women see the joy in the struggle of motherhood. - Amy I think there is a great power in women doing great things together. - Amy You can be a great mom, even when you're making different decisions that other moms are making about the same topic. - Dana You are the perfect mother for your children. No doubt about it. - Amy The more you surround yourself with community, the more every aspect of your life and business will grow and flourish. - Dana We need to surround ourselves with people who are not only taking, but also giving. It needs to be an equal relationship. - Amy The training wheels of my life fall off in all areas (motherhood and business) when I don't allow time and space for myself. - Amy In an ideal world, I get up a half hour to an hour before my kids do. I putter around, drink my coffee, open up the curtains and have a beautiful start to the day. It doesn't always happen, but it makes me so happy when it does. - Amy Moments of self care can come in pockets of time. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Just stop and reconnect to yourself, what you're doing, and why you're doing it. - Amy In order to be mindful, you have to slow down. - Dana If we're not careful, we can be in business brain 24/7 and that leads to overwhelm. - Amy The more I invest in self care and myself, the more my business seems to do better. Because when I do step back into it, I'm refreshed, ready and full of great ideas. - Amy Someone recently asked me the best business investment I ever made. I told them that it was a program that helped me learn how to meditate and clear my energy. It was exactly what I needed to gain balance in my life. - Amy We think of ourselves and our business of being separate. But they're not. They're both our babies. - Dana You are an instrument that needs to be nourished. - Amy Your greatest asset in your business is you. YOU have to invest in yourself. - Amy

How Dana & NJ grow their businesses. In this episode of the Boss Mom podcast, Dana and NJ chat about how their businesses have evolved over time and the 4 things they’ve done to help with that growth. Let’s dive right in. Listen to the podcast: Subscribe to the Boss Mom podcast in iTunes: In this episode you’ll hear: Why NJ describes herself as an Internetter NJ’s story of becoming a Virtual Assistant, why she now calls herself more than a VA now and how her role at Boss Mom has morphed. Why working backwards through your goals is a great process. Why we should get over the fear of starting something new and why faking it till we make it is the wrong mindset. The ONE THING that will for sure be on the agenda at the Boss Mom retreat. Dana’s business journey and how she’s grown her business. Why you need look beyond just what you’re passionate about when you’re starting a business. What happened when Dana stopped struggling with maintaining multiple brands. Why we can’t fall in love with the ideal of our ideal client if we want to grow our businesses. Recommended links and resources: NJ’s blog A Cookie Before Dinner and her blog post about Depends Growing your team Boss Mom podcast episode Jenn Mann’s podcast episode Boss Mom’s Trello Training Can I quote you on that? There is something that I have to give to the world that only I can give. And I HAVE TO do it, or I’m going to DIE. -NJ If you’re feeling overwhelmed, our number one recommendation is to watch The Notebook and cry. Dana & NJ To help someone, you just have to be a few steps ahead of them. You don’t have to be the expert voice. -Dana If you want to make something happen, you have to be the one to make it happen. Take the leap and hope that you’ll fly as your going out of the plane. – NJ I grew my business by taking the skills I’ve learned along the way and explored new ways to leverage them. – NJ For everyone out there thinking of pivoting your business, it can be done. I did it. You can too. – Dana In my first business, it was something that I was passionate about but I wasn’t using my gifts. – Dana In order to grow, you need to look at what you’re passionate about and marry it with what you’re good at. That’s the sweet spot. – Dana There is no possible way that I’d be where I’m at in my business if I didn’t have my team. I can’t grow without my team. – Dana If you have the choice between buying a course and hiring someone to help you run your business. Hire them first. They’re going free up your time and help you make more money. – Dana When you’re looking to grow, you have to get to a point where you can hand things off. – Dana One of the biggest goals of our group coaching program is to figure out a way to grow without adding more to your plate. – Dana Don’t fall in love with the ideal of your ideal client. Fall in love with who your client actually is and meet their needs. – NJ Connect with Dana & NJ Dana: Instagram / Periscope (her total happy place) NJ : Website / Instagram (her total happy place) Applications for the Boss Mom Academy are now open. Head here to apply. We love hearing from you guys! If you’ve got a question about today’s episode or want to leave us some inbox love, you can email us at hello@boss-mom.com

It's a bonus episode! Today Dana is talking about the three essential questions to ask yourself before you join a coaching program. This episode is value packed and you're going to want to take notes. So, grab a pen and paper or open up Evernote and let's dive right in! Listen to the podcast. Subscribe to the Boss Mom podcast in iTunes. In this episode you'll hear: Dana's fool proof method for deciding if a group coaching program is right for you. Where do you want your business to go? Where are you at in your business right now? Who do you want to be surrounded by? Recommended links and resources: Boss Mom Academy - a great group coaching program for people who are in the middle of their businesses Marie Forleo's B School- a great place to go if you're just starting out in business Jamie Tardy's Mastermind group- a great place to go if you've been in business for awhile and are looking to connect with other established business owners. Boss Mom Community on Facebook Connect with Dana Instagram / Periscope When it comes to nurturing and growing your business what are the challenges you face and how can we help you get past them? Let us know in the comments below or email us at hello@boss-mom.com

Lindsay Ambrose is making everyday moments more meaningful as a woman, wife, and mother of three young children. She writes life recipes for being present, choosing love and finding more meaning in the moments that make up everyday. By making small positive changes in her life—including character, health, home, relationships, parenting and spirit—her outlook and mood positively changed. This positivity spread to her family. She sees parenting as an opportunity to evolve and grow as a person. She has learned to accept and appreciate more, making everyday moments with her children more joyful and meaningful. In this episode of the Boss Mom podcast, Dana and Lindsay talk about the power of the morning, why self care is so important, and why Lindsay loves making life recipes. Let's dive right in. Listen to the podcast: Subscribe to the Boss Mom podcast in iTunes. In this episode with Lindsay Ambrose you'll hear: Lindsay's journey to becoming a Boss Mom and how her husband played a role in getting started. Living with a house full of littles and why self care is so important. Why Dana loves the middle of the night feeding sessions. Why we need to skip the idea of perfection and just share. How Lindsay deals with overwhelm. Recommended links and resources: Dana's podcast with Jen Mann Boss Mom podcast When Saying No Means Yes Lifebook Workshop Miracle Morning by Hal Erod. Trello. Check out Dana's free Trello Training! The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin The Conscious Parent by Dr. Shefali Tsabary Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Carry On Warrior by Glennon Mellon Can I quote you on that? I don't know where things are going to lead, but I'm okay with that because I know I'm making a contribution to the world. - Lindsay I can be the best for my kids if I'm being the best for myself. - Lindsay My biggest challenge has been following my heart as it leads me to write. - Lindsay It is up to me to create the career for myself. - Lindsay The things that make you a little afraid always help you grow. - Lindsay The morning is my time to think about where I'm at, where I want to be, and to get my day in check. - Lindsay You can't get business unless you ask for it. - Dana Connect with Lindsay Ambrose: If you're looking for daily tips and recipes for how to be more present, choose love in difficult moments, parent consciously and live intentionally connect with her blog Instagram / Facebook / Twitter Connect with Dana: Boss Mom Facebook Community / Instagram / Periscope

In this episode of the Boss Mom Podcast Dana and NJ talk about how they handle their business when they have sick kids and the three main pillars of running an efficient growing business as an entrepreneur. Let's dive right in! Listen to the podcast: [smart_track_player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/bossmom/Episode_25_Dana_and_NJ.mp3" title="3 essentials you need in your business to help it grow"] Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. In this episode you'll here: Dana and NJ talk about how having kids home sick effects their business How Dana and NJ handle their business when their kids are sick.... what they do get done and what they let go Why the words automate, delegate, and eliminate are A peek behind the scenes of the Boss Mom brand and how Dana runs her team. Why Dana let go of her Dana Malstaff brand. Why it is okay to take yourself out of the running. Recommended Links: Dana's Trello Training Boss Mom Academy Boss Mom Podcast where Dana and NJ talk about seasons of push and seasons of rest. Social Media Happy Hour podcast where Dana talks all about Trello. Dana's business plan vision board is available when you opt in. You can do that here. Boss Mom Facebook Group Quotes: I'm addicted to having a team to help me run my brand. It's amazing. I was at the zoo and got a notification that my team members were collaborating. It was magical. My brand was moving forward and I was spending time with my kids. - Dana The best team members are the ones who are also your ideal client. The value they provide beyond their skill set is as magical as rainbows, unicorns, and garden gnomes. - Dana & NJ Automate. Delegate. Eliminate. It will change your business. - Dana Don't be afraid to show your kids your work. Sow those seeds of entrepreneurship. My six year old just came to me with a business plan for his school fundraiser. -NJ Connect with Dana & NJ Dana: Instagram / Periscope (her total happy place) NJ : Website / Instagram (her total happy place)

How to be productive and move your business forward when you're in the thick of it. In this episode of the Boss Mom Podcast, Dana shares how to be productive with smaller pockets of time. Listen to the podcast: [smart_track_player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/bossmom/EPISODE_25_Danas_Late_Night_Rant.mp3" title="Dana's Late Night Rant on How to Be Productive in the In-Between Moments"] Subscribe to the Boss Mom podcast in iTunes. Recommended Links: Boss Mom Facebook Group Dana's Trello Training She Percolates Podcast where Dana shares her morning routine. 4 Things You Can Be Doing Every Month To Help Your Business Grow Can I quote you on that? You can always be productive. Every time you go to the bathroom, find something you can do in the in between moments. Figure out what you want to accomplish, make a check list so you know what needs to happen next. We have to stop thinking that our lives are run in the same way as other people who have successful businesses but don't have little kids run their lives. When you know what you want to accomplish, it is easy to write down and do the things you need to do to accomplish it. We have to people of action. As moms, we're people of action. You help your kids grow and thrive, you can do that for your business too. Productive amazing Boss Moms make decisions. It isn't always pretty, but we go for it and learn from our experience so we can execute it better next time. You can't move forward if you tell yourself that you can't get things done in the in between moments of your day. We can create an environment for ourselves where we can thrive. In order to do that, you have acknowledge what you can change and what you can't change. Action Steps: Think about what is really important to you. What is going to move the needle forward in your business? Be Honest. After that, make a list of things that need to get done. This is the start of your plan. Now you've got a calling card of awesome. Tackle your tasks and make it happen. I don't want a bunch of amazing women and moms, beautiful creative Boss Moms feeling stagnant and like they can't accomplish anything because they don't have the time or the optimal environment to make it happen. I want you to feel like you've got the tools you need to succeed. You can create a thriving business and you owe it to yourself and family to do it. And to do it in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming. Apply to the Boss Mom Academy here. (www.boss-mom.com/academy)

This is a very special episode of the Boss Mom podcast. In this episode you'll hear Dana and NJ come together to talk about what's next for the Boss Mom Brand, share a few awesome tips, and share what's new with the Dana and NJ podcast episodes. Let's dive right in. Listen to the podcast: Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Can I quote you on that? It is just so awesome to have a community. I love our Boss Mom Tribe. - Dana The Boss Mom Academy is going to be a place where you can grow and gain momentum in your business, but you'll also be around people who understand that sometimes your kid is going to be home sick. - Dana The Boss Mom Academy is going to be all about action and business. Dana Business is people. - Dana's dad Take the next step! Head here to learn more and apply to be part of the first class of the Boss Mom Academy. (Make sure you apply soon, the applications deadline is Feb 28th and the program starts March 7th. Connect with us! Dana on Periscope NJ on Instagram Boss Mom Facebook Group Email: hello@boss-mom.com

Jaclyn Mellone is the mama behind the Chasing Dreams and Littles Incubator, a monthly membership for mama business owners to grow their dream business that allows them to work less and live more! One unique part about Jaclyn’s story is that she built a thriving community and business all from Instagram. She is now the go-to-gal for helping online business owners build an engaged community and Instagram sales funnel. photo credit: Meg Mosher Photography Her motto is, the juggle is real! Through her Facebook group, insanely interactive Instagram, and tight-knit Incubator, and one to one consulting, she’s here to help, share, inspire, laugh, cry, and shake up your approach to juggling family, home and business. In this episode of the Boss Mom podcast Dana chats with Jaclyn about her Boss Mom journey and how her parents job's influenced her decisions. Let's dive right in. Listen to the podcast: Insert podcast here Subscribe to the Boss Mom podcast in iTunes. In this episode you'll hear: Jaclyn's Boss Mom journey from working in the corporate world to working from her dad to working. How Jaclyn's college friends inspired her business Chasing Dreams and Chasing Littles. Why Jaclyn changed her business name very early on. Why Jaclyn obsessively listened to business podcasts for six months before she even had an idea for her business. How Jaclyn grew her community and found her tribe. All about Instagram including hashtags and community building 5 easy ways write Twitter updates based on one piece of content. How Jaclyn uses other Facebook groups to promote her own Facebook group. Hint... don't be spammy. Why Jaclyn doesn't use her opt in as a requirement to join her Facebook group. How Jaclyn deals with overwhelm. How Jaclyn found a mentor from attending a webinar. The three tools you need when you are starting a business. Recommended links and resources: Ashley Beaudin of Fire & Wind Co. Chasing Dreams and Chasing Littles Facebook group All Up in Your Lady Business Podcast Screw the 9 to 5 Reina Pomeroy Can I quote you on that? I knew I wanted to have an entrepreneurial lifestyle when I did become a parent, so before I even got pregnant I left the corporate world. - Jaclyn I left because I wanted flexibility- I didn't want to have to worry about counting sick days. - Jaclyn My mom was home with us and I loved that. I always pictured being able to do the same with my kids. - Jaclyn I struggled with wanting to chase an entrepreneurial dream like my dad was and wanting to be home for my kids like my mom was. Today, I get to have both. - Jaclyn I like to wear heels with my pajamas. I'm a Boss Mom and I can do that. - Dana I was terrible at hashtags on Instagram, until you told me I needed to use them. - Dana Everything comes back to this one simple thing, what does your ideal follower want from you? Why would they want to follow you? -Jaclyn If you hate a social media platform, then don't even worry about it. - Jaclyn Instagram is a great place to meet people, but I love Facebook groups for deepening relationships. - Jaclyn I leveraged my Facebook group by talking about it on Instagram. - Jaclyn If you design something for your ideal client, they're going to want to join in on it. - Jaclyn Just because someone is in your Facebook group doesn't mean that they're going to be the ideal client for your list. - Jaclyn There are two things to do when you're overwhelmed. Push through it and make it happen, or prioritize and give yourself grace. - Jaclyn Since starting my business, I've flipped my mentality of learning. Now, I'm learning what I need as I need it, instead of learning about something just in case I need it. - Jaclyn Sitting in a mastermind hot seat a live event really helped me hone in on my business plan. - Jaclyn Connect with Jaclyn: Chasing Dreams and Chasing Littles: Chashing Dreams and Chasing Littles Incubator / Chasing Dreams and Chasing Littles Facebook Group / Chasing Dreams and Littles Instagram Instagram consulting: Jaclyn Mellone Connect with Dana: Boss Mom Facebook Community / Instagram / Periscope

Kathy Radigan is a writer, blogger, social media addict, mom to three, wife to one and owner of a possessed appliance. She posts a weekly essay each Sunday on her blog, My dishwasher's possessed! Kathy is the author of the viral post An Open Letter to My Teenage Son About Drinking and is a contributing author to three anthologies, Motherhood May Cause Drowsiness, Sunshine After the Storm: a survival guide for the grieving mother, and The HerStories Project: Women Explore the Joy, Pain and Power of Female Friendship. She is a Huffington Post Blogger and a contributor to What the Flicka and Scary Mommy. Her work has also been featured on, Yahoo, Elephant Journal, What to Expect,and other online publications. Kathy lives outside New York City with her family. In this episode of the Boss Mom podcast, Dana chats with Kathy about her journey being an at home mom to a work at home mom, the process of syndicating her writing, and the tools Kathy uses to manage her business. Let's dive right in. Listen to the podcast: Subscribe to the Boss Mom podcast in iTunes. What you'll hear on this episode of the Boss Mom podcast: Kathy's journey from a mom who lived and died by her kid's schedule to a successful writer and blogger Why Kathy decided to step away a successful magazine she started. The process of syndicating her writing and why she only writes once a week. How Kathy decides what to write about. How Kathy manages the overwhelm. What happened when Kathy struck up a conversation with a stranger and how that effected her business. The tools Kathy uses to run her business. What Kathy does to take care of herself. Recommended links and resources: Beyond Your Blog, a website that helps you learn how to syndicate your work Other websites to syndicate on: Mamapedia, BlogHer, Today Parenting The Secret by Rhonda Byrne An Open Letter to My Teenage Son About Drinking Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn The Book Of Laughter And Forgetting Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert The Brief History of Just About Anything by Bill Bryson (get it on audio) Kathy's favorite blogs to read: Science of Parenthood (fun parenting advice with pictures) Grown and Flown (teen and young adult parenting) Rubber Shoes in Hell, Laugh Lines, and So Then Stories (to make you laugh) An Inch of Gray (to make you cry and smile at the same time) Scary Mommy (great for parting advice for the imperfect parent) Can I quote you on that? For the first 11 years of my motherhood, I could never thing of going into business. I was too busy with my kids. - Kathy I started from scratch, just like everyone does. - Kathy I went viral and it took me to a new level. - Kathy You have goals and things happen organically. And then there is a snowball effect. My kids spark my whole passion for everything. - Kathy When life gets crazy, I like to call my parents. - Kathy When I look at all of the challenges I have in my day to day, I just can't sweat the small stuff. - Kathy My business is a family affair. - Kathy I always say yes to everything. I can work out the details later. - Kathy If the Today Show calls, you go. - Kathy If you've got a new opportunity, say yes to the adventure. -Kathy I don't use a lot of technology. Instead, I use my time well and ask for help when I need it. - Kathy If you want to do something new, start small. Do one thing well, if that's all you can do. - Kathy Mistakes are nothing to be ashamed of. - Kathy I screw up daily and that's okay. The world has not come to an end. Instead of beating myself up, I try to learn from it. - Kathy I started my own business because I wanted to do what I love. - Dana Connect with Dana: Instagram / Periscope Connect with Kathy: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Google +