No BS Mastery Podcast

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!   I hope you’re enjoying your holidays—whatever you celebrate (or don’t celebrate!)   Steve and I didn’t celebrate holidays for years but now we’re all about the holiday spirit so I hope you’re getting some R&R right now.   Last week, things got personal when I had part one of my interview with my partner in business and in life, Steve Wasterval. We talked about our origin story as a couple and as collaborators.   We also dug into all kinds of stuff about his evolution from a creative who gave his paintings away, never signed them and didn’t have any knowledge of—or desire–to sell his art to being someone who is actively building a career as an artist.   This week, I’m continuing the conversation with Steve but we’re going to focus more on how he’s building his art career. We’ve applied a lot of the Badass Business strategies that I teach entrepreneurs to his art business and it’s had a huge impact!   Stay tuned because I’ll be back with part three of my convo with Steve where we’ll discuss the building of Wasterval Design and get Steve’s perspective on the whole thing for the first time EVER! Tune into this episode to hear: How Steve is building his art career and the badass business strategies we’ve applied to his art business How Steve builds his email list and what he uses as his lead product How Steve decided to niche down and the growth he’s seen in his art business Learn more about Steve Wasterval: Stevewasterval.com Follow Steve on Instagram Steve’s Mini Painting Lead Magnet   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com  

I hope you are all snuggled up and ready for this holiday season. I don’t know about you but that’s how I’m doing the holidays this year. Just keeping it low key and easy. I’m definitely bummed that we can’t travel and see family. I’m sure you are, too.   Every year, we usually go see my big family down in Virginia. We have 30-something people at these gatherings. I help my abuela make empanadas. We play games. My uncle Carlos tries to get us to do karaoke (it never works) but it’s still really fun.   I’m sad to miss out on all of that—especially because my son is almost three and he’s finally at an age where he can enjoy hanging out with the other kids and I don’t have to carry him around all the time.   BUT, hopefully we’ll do that next year. Steve and I are all about the deep chill in life right now anyway so we’re kind of excited to just have lots of comfort foods and warm beverages.   In honor of this time of year, I thought I would do something a little different from my other conversations and bring you in my world a little bit. I’ve been meaning to do for awhile which is why I’m happy to have my most special guest on this podcast—my partner in business and life, my source of inspiration, my biggest supporter—often my nemesis and biggest obstacle—and my all around favorite person, Steve Wasterval.   Tune into this episode to hear: How Steve and I met and how we started collaborating Steve’s experience over the years going from artist who never went to art school How Steve was raised to ignore marketing and branding—and how he’s grown to really enjoy and value these skills Why he’s now on a mission to help other artists bring more marketing and branding into their work to grow their business Learn more about Steve Wasterval: stevewasterval.com   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com

Recently I’ve been thinking and talking a lot about FOCUS.   It’s essential to focus on where you spend your time, how you spend it, and how—just like your closet—your business needs to be periodically decluttered.   Like I talked about in the last episode with James Heaton, people are overwhelmed because they have so much to do—and yet most of what they’re doing isn’t moving the needle. Why? Because there’s a lack of focus.   Symptoms of unfocused energy can show up your system processes, your day-to-day life, and your product offerings. That’s why it’s so important to stay on top of. When we do too much, we dilute our work and our impact.   As you can see, focus (or a lack thereof!) touches everything from the little stuff to the big stuff and is why it’s essential to reign it in so you can create a thriving, badass business.   Today, I’m excited to have someone on the show who just wrote a book about focus, author of Get Rich In The Deep End, and seriously badass business owner, Brent Weaver.   Many of you probably know Brent because he’s a big name in the branding agency world. He is the founder and CEO of UGurus, a business training and education company, and they are on a mission to help 10,000 digital agency owners achieve freedom in business and life by helping them own their market.   Brent’s had a long and successful career building and constantly reinventing his businesses for over 20 years, and I’m excited for him to share what he’s learned. Tune into this episode to hear: How clarity and focus is essential to business growth (and how focusing on less makes your work better) Why solutions to your business problems should be evaluated by where YOU are in business. A strategy to grow a business from $500k to a million isn’t necessarily going to work if you are struggling to pass the $100k mark How mastery is essential to gaining authority in your business and in your niche Why it’s important to get business advice and strategies from people who were in your shoes before Learn more about Brent Weaver: Brent’s Book: Get Rich in the Deep End: Commit to Your Niche, Own Your Market, and Audaciously Scale Your Agency Message Brent on Facebook "I want the Field Guide" on Facebook and he will send you a copy of the Get Rich in the Deep End Field Guide just for being part of the SYBWB audience Ugurus.com Connect with Brent on Facebook Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com

It’s almost 2021 and that means it’s the PERFECT time to make a plan and set goals.   Where can you declutter and make space for the badass business building activities that will serve you and your goals?   What processes, software, product offerings or tasks have you been doing for awhile that aren’t moving the needle forward in your business?   How can you hold yourself accountable, make room for learning, and embrace your failures to move forward?   I will tell you: focus is your friend!   Too many people are overwhelmed in their business because they have so much to do—and yet, most of their activities aren’t moving the needle at all. And yet they continue to do the same thing over and over with the same lackluster results. Cue the sad face.   If this sounds like you, then it’s even more important to focus because that is a good next step if you want to show your business who’s boss.   Today, I’m chatting with James Heaton, a friend I picked up from back in my networking days. James is the Lead Strategist & Creative Director of Tronvig Group, a brand strategy and management consulting agency in Brooklyn.   Drawing on his 23 years of branding experience, James developed the Tronvig Method. Its first step is a Brand Pyramid. This tool enables strategic brand decisions. James believes that strategy requires not only a differentiated brand position but also the alignment of organizational passion, natural talent, and operational behavior. Only then can your brand promises be kept. Tune into this episode to hear: Why holding yourself accountable to the advice you give to others is essential to business success How fear might be holding you back from focusing on the true thing, as James say, that you’re better at than anyone else What to do if you find that you’re doing work that you really shouldn’t be doing How to evolve your brand focus if it doesn’t feel like it fits your vision anymore Why specializing is better insurance than diversifying Learn more about James Heaton: Building Your Brand Pyramid tronviggroup.com Follow James on Twitter Connect with James on LinkedIn   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com

In honor of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share some thank yous of my own as well as share how giving thanks has been a HUGE super power in my life. It’s my go-to exercise whenever I’m feeling stressed or low-energy.   I truly believe that daily gratitude and giving thanks is something we all need more of to show up for ourselves and show up for those in our communities.   My favorite daily exercise is pretty much a daily gratitude journal but I put my own spin on it—you’ll have to listen to the episode to get all the juicy details on what I mean.   Whenever I don’t feel 100%, it’s one of the only things that makes me feel better and it’s SO easy!   I’ve truly seen MANY clients who started up this practice and it had an obvious and sustained effect on how they felt and how they approach their life once they committed to doing this for just a few weeks.   Thank you for being a part of my world. I hope you enjoy a delicious meal with the people you love today—even if we have to keep the groups small this year.   Happy Thanksgiving! Tune into this solo episode with Pia to hear: The simple and quick daily exercise I recommend to all my clients and people that I coach that might be valuable to you Why daily journaling primes your brain for the day and sets your mind up for success The two amazing things that happen when you start writing down ALL your accomplishments Why I’m going to spend an hour on Thanksgiving reaching out to the people who’ve touched me this year to let them know I appreciate them and all that they do Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com  

You DON’T need to do things just like your peers. And actually—you SHOULDN’T!   By taking a leap and doing things differently—even if you’re just getting started in a new business—you stand out which goes a LONG way in getting noticed. And getting noticed means getting tons of recognition through speaking engagements, awards, and panel invites that show her off as an expert, just as our guest will share it this episode!   In the “What’s Possible” series here on the podcast, I’m chatting with entrepreneurs who’ve experienced tremendous transformations despite everything else happening this year through my program LEAP To Badass Authority.   These badass entrepreneurs are members of my program, LEAP To Badass Authority. It’s pretty incredible what can happen in a year or less when you stay focused on taking leaps every day to get closer to your goals, have a support system to keep you accountable, help you make strategic decisions and pull you up when you falter.   Today I’m speaking with Badass Business owner, Dr. Ediuska Laurens. Ediuska is an entrepreneur, innovator, and two-time patent holder with expertise in medical device product development, regulation, and quality—and she wants to use the magical powers of SCIENCE & know how of INDUSTRY, to help the most vulnerable populations.   She has a BS in Aerospace Engineering, and MS in Mechanical Engineering, and a doctorate in Biomedical Engineering, and she spent nearly a decade at the Fortune 500 medical firm, Stryker, leading a global team that developed pediatric Craniomaxillofacial implants from concept to global commercialization. So needless to say, she’s got the chops and the background to make big things happen.   Ediuska is the founder of Genius Shield, a compliance management and regulatory readiness company that shields and de-risk medical innovators and investors so they can launch compliant medical solutions seamlessly and safely to the global market.   Tune into this episode to hear: How Ediuska knows exactly what to do each day to build her reputation online, market her brand, and increase her visibility to attract top-tier clients that she can help save the world with her genius Why standing up and standing out goes a long way to getting you noticed QUICKLY How in less than a year, Ediuska developed a brand voice that’s getting her recognition and invites to prestigious events like the United Nations Women and Girls in Science Assembly Learn more about Ediuska Laurens: Geniusshield.io Ediuskalaurens.com Freebie: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley: Theranos Series Workshop: Is An FDA Recall In Your Future? Connect with Ediuska on LinkedIn Follow Genius Shield on Facebook Follow Ediuska on Instagram Follow Genius Shield on Instagram   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com  

In business, there is always somewhere greater to go.   That’s why taking leaps—both big and small—is essential to growing your business and building your confidence.   I know this because I've had the experience of being terrified of something new—and doing it over and over and over again.   Taking those leaps—both small and big—gets you outside of your comfort zone. It’s about going after something you really want—or something that is true to you and who you want to be—EVEN when the outcome is scary or unknown... and you do it anyway.   If you never take a leap, if you stay comfortable with the status quo, there’s only so far you can go. But when you bank true confidence in yourself, ANYTHING is possible.   The more often you take the leap that, the more times you have that experience and the more your body—not just your mind—learns that it doesn't matter if things do or don't work out exactly the way you want. You're always going to be okay.   And every time you face adversity, or you have a failure, and you get up and do something else and eventually something good comes out of it? THAT’S where the real work is. That’s where the confidence comes from. That’s where the business you want is created. Tune into this solo episode with Pia to hear: My experience in giving my TEDx talk and how TERRIFIED I was… but I took the leap anyway (and why taking big leaps gets easier over time—BUT there is always that core fear) The importance of taking SMALL leaps to get comfortable with taking BIG leaps How to get your body used to taking risks (because no matter what happens, when you show up and do the hard thing, you WILL be fine!) The story behind my “buy the bag” mantra How investing in yourself makes investing even BIGGER in the future that much easier to reach your goals and grow your business Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com Resources mentioned in this episode: EPISODE 22: The Effect Our Money Stories Have On How We Spend, Invest, And Save Or Don't Save  

Do you want to let go of what’s holding you back from being the most badass business owner you can be and align your purpose and create your legacy?   It’s possible and it starts with getting to know YOU. The REAL you.   2020 has dealt a lot of challenges for entrepreneurs. Businesses are shuttering across the country. In the “What’s Possible” series here on the podcast, I’m chatting with entrepreneurs who’ve experienced tremendous transformations despite everything else happening this year.   These badass entrepreneurs are members of my program, LEAP To Badass Authority. It’s pretty incredible what can happen in a year or less when you stay focused on taking leaps every day to get closer to your goals, have a support system to keep you accountable, help you make strategic decisions and pull you up when you falter.   Michelle Mercurio is a brand catalyst and co-owner of The Brand Scene where she helps transformational entrepreneurs write their brand’s story, do more of what they love and be more themselves and less of what the world expects them to be. WE can all use more of that in our business.   In 2019, hitting $100,000 was still a dream of an idea—yet after COVID hit her business, Michelle still had her best month ever in August, bringing in well over $30,000. In this episode, you’ll hear more about how she stepped up as boss of her business, letting go of the good to make room for the great, and owning her voice at a new level.   And this is possible for you, too. But there’s no silver bullet. It's the results of a thousand little decisions you make every day that add up to the life and business you want. And in each decision, doing it in a way that is true to your brand and who you are, and being seen as a celebrity expert in your space. Tune into this episode to hear: How Michelle and I have both felt at times like we have nothing to say—and what that’s a reflection of When you should “expire” things that are working in your business so you can make room for something greater The stories we all walk around with that hold us back from accomplishing everything we want in our businesses Plus some exercises you can use to change your stories   Learn more about Michelle Mercurio: Sign up for Michelle’s I See You Letter To Be More You Michellemercurio.com Follow Michelle on Instagram Follow Michelle on Facebook   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com

When you own your brand and voice, you are seen as the authority in your space.   And when you’re the go-to celebrity?   EVERYONE wants to hire you—and they’ll pay whatever high prices you want.   But if you haven’t been showing your business who’s boss, you might be stuck in a pattern of feast and famine. You might be hustling to get clients with tons of emails, calls, and proposals—or so busy working for your clients that it feels impossible to do business development for future clients.   Inevitably, this style of working cycles over and over again. The hustle never stops.   Thankfully, there’s another way to take your business to the next level—through building your authority online so you’re seen as a respected expert in your space.   This is exactly what today’s guest went through—from doing really well to struggling to make sense of her business offerings—to well-known and booked out two months in advance. Who doesn’t want that?! And she made that happen by staying laser focused on building her celebrity status by sharing her value online in talks and in articles.   Today, I’m so excited to be speaking with Badass Business owner, Ilana Preuss.   Ilana’s company, Recast City, helps bring local “main street” economies back to life by partnering with local leaders to bring businesses back to downtown, particularly small-scale manufacturing businesses. It’s fascinating work—unlike anything anyone else I’ve worked with—and it’s been equally fascinating to watch her apply these badass brand and business principles to her company, especially because nobody in her space is doing anything like this.   Ilana is also the author of the forthcoming book, Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing, being released by Island Press in spring 2021.   Tune into this episode to hear: Why Ilana chose to apply these badass principles in her business, even though doing things like putting her prices on her website and packaging her services is unheard of in her industry, and the response she’s gotten How COVID seemed like it was going to bankrupts her clients What she focused her efforts on in March and April that resulted in selling her lead products like hotcakes in August How systems have completely transformed how Ilana spends her time in her business, and actually frees her up to keep chasing the next new and exciting idea   Learn more about Ilana Preuss: Recastcity.com The Cavalry Isn’t Coming Connect with Ilana on LinkedIn Follow Ilana on Twitter Follow Ilana on Instagram Follow Ilana on Facebook Recast Your City Book   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com  

Scenario One: You’re still trading hours for dollars. You’re trying to do everything in your business yourself. You’re fearful of saying anything too aggressive or opinionated—it might scare potential paying clients away.   Scenario Two: You don’t feel icky about giving your work or time away—for free. You outsource what’s needed so you can actually concentrate on what you do BEST. You own your voice and trust yourself 100% because you’re a BOSS at what you do.   Do either of those scenarios sound like you? Chances are, you’re in scenario number one. BUT, like one of my clients, you can learn to embrace everything in the second scenario so you can show your business who’s boss.   In 2019, my client Rachael Wonderlin was the person in scenario one. But she learned how to embrace what she does best, put processes and boundaries in place, and really stepped into the role of boss of her business. Now, she’s selling lead products, 6-month contracts and online training programs for tens of thousands of dollars that require almost none of her time.   Rachael is the owner of Dementia By Day, a dementia care consulting company. She is the author of two published books, Creative Engagement and When Someone You Know Is Living in a Dementia Care Community. Rachael works with senior living companies who want to take their dementia care communities and programs to the next level. She’s also the creator of the Dementia By Day Podcast and the Dementia By Day “Car Chats” YouTube channel.   Tune into this episode to hear: Rachael was told more than once that her business, her model, and her approach were not going to work, or not professional, and what she did in response that built her a badass business and eliminated her competition How Rachael used to do duplicate work for every client because she was stuck in a ‘trading dollars for hours’ mindset, and how she transitioned to a hybrid model that  increased the value her clients receive while decreasing the time she needs to show up to deliver And what it looks like to really own YOUR brand and point of view, even in dementia care, and the short and long term affects that has had on her business and interactions with clients   Learn more about Rachael Wonderlin: rachaelwonderlin.com Connect with Rachael on LinkedIn Follow Rachael on YouTube Free Masterclass:  Crush Your Move-In Quota New Book, When Someone You Know is Living in a Dementia Care Community   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com