You’re burnt out from the grind, drowning in noise, and questioning whether the version of success we were all sold was ever worth it.

Sound familiar? 

Hustle culture promised us freedom, but all it delivered was stress, overwork, and businesses that feel more like a trap. We’ve been told that bigger is always better, that scaling is the only way forward, and that if we’re struggling, we just need to “hire more” and push harder.

But what if the real secret to success isn’t more—it’s less?

In this episode, we’re tearing down the myths of hustle culture and exploring a radically different approach: building a "boring" business that works for you. 

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Why chasing endless growth, big revenue, and scaling at all costs leads to burnout and dissatisfaction.

• How the entrepreneurship industry profits from pushing unsustainable success models.

• Why a simple, stable, and sustainable service business is the smarter, long-term choice and how a more intentional business can be more fulfilling.

• Why a well-structured business provides peace, stability, and long-term success.

• Why you should shift from expansion to strategic, values-aligned, and sustainable growth.

• How cutting unnecessary complexity creates a more efficient, drama-free business.

• Managing concerns around boredom, growth, and ambition.

• Actionable steps for building a boring business. 

• How prioritizing well-being, boundaries, and balance leads to long-term success.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

Adaptation is key if you want to run a sustainable service business as a team. 

What worked a year (or even a month) ago may be ineffective in the current market. What your clients want may have evolved, and your personal goals may have changed. 

The tricky part can be understanding when it’s time to change things up or when it’s best to stay on your current course. 

In this episode, we’re diving into how you can figure out your next move. Whether it’s refining what’s already working or reimagining what’s next, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you make a confident decision.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• How the market has changed in the past few years why now may be the time to evolve.

• Signs you should persist on the path you’re on, including questions to determine if your business model is still working.

• Surefire signs it may be time for a pivot.

• Four key actionable steps you can take to help you decide between persisting or pivoting. 

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

Do you ever feel like all the marketing advice you hear from celebrity entrepreneurs always ends up being far more work than you ever imagined — and rarely gets the results you’re looking for?

The reality is that these folks are doing you dirty with their one-size-fits-all marketing playbooks. 

In this episode, I explain why celebrity entrepreneur advice isn’t only misguided but harmful and what you should do instead to build a sustainable business as a solopreneur. 

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Why much of the common celebrity entrepreneur business advice isn’t just bad, it’s harmful. 

• The biggest myth about building an audience.

• How shiny marketing tactics often end up being nothing but a distraction.

• Why you’re better off focusing on building relationships and asking for referrals.

• How to work on creating meaningful connections. 

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

Ever had an awkward moment with a client? Of course you have!

Whether you’ve been in business for one year or 20 years, awkward moments with clients are bound to happen. 

Maybe they ghosted you. Or maybe they haven’t paid their invoice despite numerous requests. Or maybe they completely changed direction mid-project and expect you to go back and start from square one.

Whatever your awkward moment may have been, the result is usually the same — you’re left feeling stressed out and not at all pleased with what’s gone down.

In this episode, I’m talking about those awkward client moments when things get sticky and you’re trying not to completely lose your shit.

Get the inside scoop: smallbusinessboss.co/awkward-client-situations

Have you ever heard someone in business talking about strategy and wanted to roll your eyes?

The unfortunate reality is that in the online biz world (and many other places!) people use the word strategy simply as a means to charge more money for whatever they’re selling. 

But we all know that not every strategy is created equal.

Having said that, strategy is a GOOD thing. Strategy makes your life easier as there’s actually a roadmap to guide your work. Best of all, strategy is something you can actively be selling. 

In this episode, we’re digging deeper into Selling the Strategy and I’m going to give you specific examples to help you get into action.

Get the inside scoop: smallbusinessboss.co/how-to-sell-the-strategy

Ever felt frustrated by a client situation and like  *something* has to change but you aren’t sure where to begin.

One-size-fits-all solutions are rarely the magic bullet they’re sold as, but the good news is, there are some shifts you can make to move your business towards a place where you aren’t ready to tear your hair out. 

For me, that was implementing what I call Sell the Strategy.  

In this episode, I’m going to share this pivotal change that made all the difference for me and my business.

Get the inside scoop right here:

smallbusinessboss.co/sell-the-strategy

Ever heard the expression “a lie often repeated becomes the truth”?

The reality is that when we hear something enough times, we often start to believe it — including the countless tropes and myths often repeated by celebrity entrepreneurs. . 

Whether it’s the stories about burnout being inevitable or that you need to be booked out at all times, these myths can start to make us feel like we’re missing something or like we’ll never get things right.

But that isn’t the case at all.

That’s why in this episode, we’re looking at being booked out, burnt out, and other lies about service businesses.

Get the inside scoop right here: 

smallbusinessboss.co/myths-about-service-businesses

**Welcome to the Best of the BS-Free Service Business Show series. This episode is a re-release that originally went live on September 24, 2018.**

I'm talking with marketing expert Chrissie Wywrot to give you the inside scoop on how to get yourself more exposure, generate engagement, and highlight the best parts of your biz.

If you've been trying to figure out how to polish up your Linkedin profile or online brand to establish yourself as an expert in your field, this is the episode for you.

Get the scoop here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/marketing-yourself-on-linkedin/

**Welcome to the Best of the BS-Free Service Business Show series. This episode is a re-release that originally went live on March 3, 2020.**

Fact: When you make your money by serving clients, the experience you create can make or break your business.

Also fact: Most service providers make this WAY too complicated and totally overthink it.

In this episode of the Small Business Boss podcast, I’m giving you actionable ideas on how you can deliver a deliberately simple client experience.  

Get the inside scoop right here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/simple-client-experience/

**Welcome to the Best of the BS-Free Service Business Show series. This episode is a re-release that originally went live on August 6, 2018.**

If you’ve ever thought about creating a signature service but decided not to, think again! A signature service is how you can show your expertise and it puts everyone on notice that you’re a total boss who’s got it going ON.

In this episode, I’m sharing everything you need to know about creating a signature service and how it can transform your business.

Get the inside scoop here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/creating-your-signature-service/

**Welcome to the Best of the BS-Free Service Business Show series. This episode is a re-release that originally went live on January 20, 2020.**

You can’t grow without a team. Your income will plateau. You’ve heard all the myths of a service business before, and in this new episode, we’re taking a look at these myths and looking at how they stack up in 2020.

Get the inside scoop right here:

https://smallbusinessboss.co/growing-a-services-business-in-2020/

**Welcome to the Best of the BS-Free Service Business Show series. This episode is a re-release that originally went live on January 13, 2020.**

As business owners, most of us are really good at setting big goals for our business. Especially revenue goals, but many times we don’t think about what it’s going to take to actually reach that goal.

I speak from experience as someone with many an ambitious goal that wasn’t met because it wasn’t grounded in reality. For many people, those big goals are super motivating, but for me, they’re soul-crushing when I fall short.

In this episode, I wanted to share some real numbers to give you an idea of what it took to increase revenue in 2019, and more importantly, what I learned about finding clients.

Get the inside scoop right here: 

https://smallbusinessboss.co/finding-clients-2019/

There’s no shortage of messaging being thrown at us in the world of online business.

We’re told to live our best life. To take back our freedom. To avoid burnout. 

And on and on and on…

The problem? These messages, while they may be things we actually need to hear, are these the messages we want trickling down to our own clients? And if we’re all using the same messaging,  where’s the room for differentiation?

In this episode, Dr. Michelle Mazur joins us to unpack exactly why your message matters, how to make a compelling argument for your work and so much more.

smallbusinessboss.co/why-your-messaging-matters

Do you feel caught in a cycle of working more to make more money but melting down because you’re overwhelmed and overworked?

While you can run this loop for a while, it’s not sustainable. 

You’re more than our work; you need a life while tending to your health and mental well-being. 

In this episode, I’m diving into how to create your Capacity Code—a way to manage your time, energy, and emotional bandwidth so you can break free from the time vs. money trap for good. 

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Why hustling harder isn’t the only path to success.

• Understanding capacity management.

• How to create your own Capacity Code.

• Figuring out if your schedule is aligned with your capacity.

• Determining which tasks are essential for your business..

• Finding the energy leaks in your business.

• Assessing your emotional capacity.

• How to create an environment that supports your capacity. 

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you took a little break in your business?

No, I don’t mean packing it in and fleeing for parts unknown.

But what if you gave yourself permission to just stop doing a particular task for a while? 

What would happen if you took a step back to let yourself reset for a bit?

In this episode, I’m sharing my strange start to the year, the power of taking a break, and a few things I have on my mind that may be helpful for you to consider right now.

Get the inside scoop right here: 

smallbusinessboss.co/taking-a-break

Working with clients can sometimes be stressful, can’t it?

And when things are a little rocky, there’s one specific thing that can end up making or breaking your client relationships —

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

When a client doesn’t 100% trust you, you can end up feeling frustrated and disrespected. 

You probably want to burn things down and run away from working with clients at all. 

But that’s not the answer!

In this episode, we’re looking at the importance of respect to creating a trusted client experience, and how to consistently foster it.

smallbusinessboss.co/respect-with-clients

When you think about building a strong relationship built for success and longevity, what do you think matters most? 

Whether it’s business or personal, trust is going to be one of the most important building blocks you’ll need. 

Unfortunately, the status quo of online business is all about teaching us tips, tricks, and tactics that make us THINK we’re building a foundation of trust — only to find out later that foundation is actually sitting on quicksand.

So how do we bake trust into everything we do? How do we ensure that the foundation of trust is built on solid ground?

Here are seven specific ideas for you to build more trust in your business in 2022.

Get the inside scoop right here.

Would you do business with someone you don’t trust?

Of course not!

Problem is, we don’t always know a business is trustworthy before we’re in too deep. 

What we initially view as trust is actually superficial. It’s built using toxic and twisted tactics to get us to a place where we think trust exists.

And those tactics are exactly how we’re taught to build an online business, which brings the question of how do we do this differently? How do we focus on building real, lasting trust with our community and clients?

In this episode, we’re digging into three commonly used online business practices that build, and ultimately break trust so you know exactly what to avoid.

Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/trust-in-business

Do you ever feel a disconnect from what you see going on in the world of online business and how you’re actually running your business? 

There’s so much chatter that seems to be focused on making more (and more and more) money that sometimes we can start to feel like maybe we’re not doing things right. 

Now, don’t get me wrong — running a business can be awesome. But having to unlearn and think critically about our own roles in the online business world and the world, in general takes work. 

So. Where do we begin? 

In this episode, I’m digging into what I’ll be increasingly focusing on in the year to come and giving you some concrete ideas for 2022 so you can do the same.

Get the inside scoop right here: 

https://smallbusinessboss.co/year-of-the-bs-free-business/

Do you ever feel a disconnect from what you see going on in the world of online business and how you’re actually running your business? 

There’s so much chatter that seems to be focused on making more (and more and more) money that sometimes we can start to feel like maybe we’re not doing things right. 

Now, don’t get me wrong — running a business can be awesome. But having to unlearn and think critically about our own roles in the online business world and the world, in general takes work. So. Where do we begin? 

In this episode, I’m digging into what I’ll be increasingly focusing on in the year to come and giving you some concrete ideas for 2022 so you can do the same.

www.smallbusinessboss.co/year-of-the-bs-free-business

Have you ever looked at someone else’s business and wondered what *really* goes on behind the scenes?

The end of the year is often a time for reflection, and here at Small Business Boss we always like to take a look at what went on during the past 12 months to celebrate the wins and learn some lessons. 

That’s why In this episode, I sat down with Sara, our director of community and client service, to recap the year that was — the good, the bad and the ugly. 

Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/2021-year-in-review

Is it just me or do you sometimes feel like December can be a pressure cooker of expectations to plan, plan, plan for the coming year?

Now, don’t get me wrong — I loooooove me some planning. 

What I *don’t* love is this ridiculous and arbitrary demand on me that I must plan NOW. 

Could be my rebel nature, could be the cumulative effect of things being really hard to plan in the midst of a pandemic.

Whatever the reason, seeing people say we need to push ourselves to plan a whole year in advance so we can have the “best year ever!!” can be completely overwhelming. 

But it doesn’t have to be. 

In this episode, I’m sharing how I’m really planning for 2022 to give you a real-world perspective amid the end-of-year planning frenzy. 

Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/planning-for-2022

Have you wondered if your money goals are actually YOUR goals? 

How to make money, how to manage money, and how much money you “should” be striving for is always a hot topic in the world of online business.

We’re flooded with so many messages that sometimes, we end up pushing ourselves to meet goals that don’t actually serve us or our business. 

We’re told if we’re not scaling we’re failing, and that just is not the case.

That’s why in this episode, I’m unpacking money goals, why I think that the conventional teachings of online business are broken, and how we can define a new approach to making money.

Get the inside scoop at: smallbusinessboss.co/money-goals

Have you ever assumed that just because something is high ticket, it must be good?

We’ve certainly been there, but here’s the problem - 

What exactly IS “high ticket”, anyway? 

A certain dollar amount? A specific level of service? A high return on investment?

The reality is that one person’s high ticket could be loose change for another, and the big price tag really means nothing in terms of actual value. It’s all subjective. 

That’s why in this episode of Duped we’re digging into the high ticket economy of online business including WTF high ticket even means, its problems and why you probably shouldn’t believe the hype. 

Find out more at duped.online

Feeling trapped in a rinse-and-repeat cycle where you work more, make more, get exhausted, recover, and then do it all over again?

Listen to this quick training that I wanted to share with you, which includes:

• What the time vs. money trap is
• Why you may be feeling stuck
• The key levers you have to break out of it

Tune in to discover how to grow your business sustainably in a way that works for you. (No one-size-fits-all BS is included I promise!)

LINKS: 
Watch the Time vs. Money Trap Video 
Mastermind Details  (We start Oct 1st) 
Chat with Maggie About the Mastermind 

Have you ever felt like no matter how much you do you’re always seeing messaging telling you to hustle even harder?

As an industry, online business is alllllll about the hustle. Hustling is worn as a badge of honor, but what we don’t talk about is what that 24/7 hustle can mean for us —

Burnout, feeling apathetic and overwhelmed and more.

So, is this culture of hustle really the dream we should be chasing?

In this episode, guest Brittany Berger from Work Smarter chats with me about hustle culture, how it shows up, and how this intersects with ableism across the industry.

Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/ableism-in-online-business

There are a lot of stories we tell ourselves as entrepreneurs, but there’s one, in particular, I hear time and time again from the people I work with:

“I'm bad at sales.”

Now, you may or may not be a gifted salesperson, But so much of how we think of sales is wrapped up in antiquated myths and a ton of BS about what we “should” and “shouldn’t” do. 

Add in a never-ending stream of courses and programs designed to sell us on someone’s specific version of sales, and it’s no surprise we have a hard time sorting through the confusion.

That’s why In this episode, we break down BS myths and messages about sales calls and talk through some specific ways to make those calls that much simpler.

Get the inside scoop: smallbusinessboss.co/sales-myths

*Check out the first episode of Duped, season 2*

Stop us if you’ve heard these ones before -

“Make money while you sleep!”

“Never trade dollars for hours again!”

“Create it once and set it on autopilot!”

We all know celebrity entrepreneurs make BIG promises when selling us a course that teaches us how to create… another course.

But do courses actually live up to the hype? Are they the passive income dream they claim to be? 

In this episode of Duped, we’re looking at whether courses are a magical moneymaking dream or a bonafide business nightmare.

Find out more at duped.online

Does the idea of having to hand off work to other people make you break out in a cold sweat?

Do you ever find yourself thinking “it will be faster if I just do it myself”?

*raises hand sheepishly*

The struggle is real, my friends. 

As someone who has a somewhat challenging relationship with delegation, it’s a muscle that I have to consciously work on building. 

Thankfully, I’ve had someone guiding me along the way and giving me a gentle nudge when needed.

That’s why in this episode I sat down for a chat with leadership coach Bekka Prideaux to dive into the dynamics of delegation. We talk about how to improve your delegations skills, why delegation isn’t just about having a team, and so much more.

Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/dynamics-of-delegation

Despite how those FB ads make it look, running an agency and being the boss isn't all sitting back and watching the cash roll in while your team gets the job done.

No matter how much you *think* you know about what the reality is, like so much else in life, you don’t know what you don’t know until you’re actually in the thick of it. 

That’s why in this episode, I’m sharing 7 things I wish I knew before starting an agency, including a few things that may be unexpected.

Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/before-starting-an-agency

Do you ever feel like you don’t have enough hours in the day? Like you’re already working too much but could still be doing more? 

Then there’s the fact that your services are in demand and you would take on even more work if you were able. 

You WANT to grow your business, but driving yourself into the ground isn’t a solid strategy.

Right about now, running the agency business model may seem like reeeeally good option. 

But is it? 

In this episode, we’re diving into the ins and outs of the agency business model, to help you answer the question….is it right for you? 

Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/the-agency-model

You know those low cost products all over your social media feeds making big promises? 

You may like them, or you may find them annoying, but there’s a very specific strategy around them. And a lot of those strategies are a big problem from my point of view.

So I got curious and bought 9 of these products to analyze them. 

In this episode and essay, I’m sharing my findings from that analysis I did after spending $285 - the good, the bad and the really scammy.

I’m doing the work so you don’t have to, and then sharing what you need to know.

Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/low-cost-offers

When you think about your values, it’s probably pretty easy to list what matters to us personally.

But what about your biz?

We’ve all done those exercises where we sit down and write out a mission or a vision statement, or define the values for our business. But all too often they just end up in a file folder and forgotten about while we carry on with getting our work done.

How do we ensure the values we define are something we actually consider regularly?

In this episode, guest Danait Berhe shares how to put our business values into action.

Get the inside scoop: smallbusinessboss.co/business-values

Have you ever been talking to a potential client and they ask you what sort of results working with you will get them?

I have, and honestly, it always gets my back up a little.

Is it a valid question? Absolutely.

But in the online world, “results” are all too often tied directly to cold hard cash. People are selling the promise of making big money if you work with them or buy their system, and that’s what we’re being compared against. 

So how do we have a nuanced conversation about results in a way that doesn’t just focus on money? 

In this episode, we’re going to talk about how to rethink the role of results in our business, and how we untether from toxic narratives about what results really are. 

Get the inside scoop right here: Smallbusinessboss.co/results-in-your-business

You know what’s annoying?

How much people in the online space crap on service businesses.

Celeb entrepreneurs are selling ways for us to get OUT of service businesses, with an understanding of an unspoken hierarchy where those who offer services are seen as less than those that focus on courses or programs. 

This results in more and more people getting lured away from their service businesses and told that coaching-based group programs is the way to go.

But is it really? 

In this episode, we’re looking at the key differences between running a done-for-you service business, and one that offers coaching, including the hard numbers from my own experiences working in both models.

Get the inside scoop right here:

smallbusinessboss.co/business-models

Do you ever feel like you work work work and yet never get ahead with your salary?

Celeb entrepreneurs love to tell us we need to spend money to make money, but that toxic myth often leads us to make decisions that aren’t in our best interests. 

In this episode, I will show you how to pay yourself first, grow your salary, and build a business that works for you without buying into the hype. It’s time to stop bleeding cash and get you paid.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Prioritizing your salary so you can pay yourself first.

• The BS myth that leaves so many service business owners underpaid and overworked.

• Why smart money management is the key to a steady salary and where to focus. 

• The role of money mindset (and not the cheezy manifest your life kind).

• How to set prices that support your desired salary goal. 

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

Have you ever heard someone say that there’s no money in services?

I have, and I strongly disagreed. 

The service business model is one of the simplest around, and you can definitely make money — if you know what you’re doing. 

A service business doesn’t have to be complicated, despite what you may have been told. 

The reality is those celebrity entrepreneurs and inexperienced coaches — who like to tell us we NEED their fancy systems — overcomplicate things and create problems we don’t actually have in an effort to sell us things. 

In this episode, I’m sharing what you really need for your service business and how you simplify yours.

Get the inside scoop right here: smallbusinessboss.co/simplify-your-service-biz

Have you ever felt like things in your business aren’t running the way they should? Like your services are out of whack or what you sell is a struggle to deliver?

While every business is unique, the online business world often tries to tell us there is one way to do things — not accounting for any of the complexities we may need to consider when building our business model.

And that sets us up to fail.

The good news — there are SO MANY ways to run your business. You just need a model that makes sense for what you do.

Enter the Aligned Service Business Model. It puts you at the center of your services so what you’re delivering feels simple and easy. 

Check out the latest episode where we’re looking at the way to align your services with your values, strengths and skills.

Get the inside scoop right here:

smallbusinessboss.co/aligned-service-business-model

Have you ever had a coach try to jam you and your business into a cookie-cutter system or blueprint? 

I have, and guess what? IT DIDN’T WORK! 

While there’s nothing wrong with looking to “experts” to provide some guidance, the reality is that these one-size-fits-all solutions are rarely going to yield the results we’re looking for. 

In this episode, we’re looking at the problem with these blueprints, and how when we work with clients of any kind we need to embrace the complexities of their unique business.

Get the inside scoop right here:

smallbusinessboss.co/work-with-clients

Tell me if you’ve heard this one before…

It’s time to raise your prices.

Raising your prices is one of the most common, yet potentially problematic pieces of advice in the online business world.

Pricing is complex and layered, and the way it’s taught typically only serves one person - the seller.

The goal of so many of these strategies is to help the seller amass wealth, even if it does harm to the buyer.

It’s so not okay. That’s why in this fresh new episode of the BS-Free Service Business podcast I’m sharing common pricing problems in this industry, along with my 4 trust-first pricing principles.

You can check it out here: smallbusinessboss.co/pricing-principles

I’m back from my content sabbatical and I have news.

**A NEW LIMITED SERIES PODCAST**

Introducing:
Trusted: Alternatives to the BS of Online Business.

Are you tired of the BS? 

ME TOO. 

When it comes to how we market and sell our businesses, and what we buy, we’ve got choices. 

The people marketing and selling to us just don’t want us to know it. 

In the new limited series podcast Trusted, we’re going to dive into the alternatives to the BS of online business by breaking down five specific tactics.

Learn more at betrusted.online

If you're a fan of the BS-Free Service Business Show, check out Duped. Duped is a limited series podcast hosted by myself and Dr. Michelle Mazur, where we talk about the dark side of online business that you need to know about, and more importantly, how to protect yourself from falling prey to these tactics and tricks. 

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Have you ever seen something online and felt like it looked awfully familiar? 

Then comes the sinking feeling that you’ve been copied. Without citation or credit. 

The unfortunate reality is that in an industry that rewards people for simply being one step ahead, it’s zero percent surprising that people would engage in some shady practices.

That said, knowing it happens all the time doesn’t make you feel any less frustrated that your hard work is being used as “inspiration”.

In this episode, we’re diving into the predatory culture of plagiarized content — what forms this takes, how it makes us feel when it happens, and why the culture of online business that’s built on plagiarized ideas is fundamentally messed up.

Learn more at duped.online

If you're a fan of the BS-Free Service Business Show, check out Duped. Duped is a limited series podcast hosted by myself and Dr. Michelle Mazur, where we talk about the dark side of online business that you need to know about, and more importantly, how to protect yourself from falling prey to these tactics and tricks. 

__

Want to buy a Ferrari? Use a private jet? Stay in 5-star hotels? 

According to the aspirational luxury lifestyle we’re constantly being sold in the online business world, “you too can easily have these things if you just do X, Y or Z!”.

But after running your biz for a hot minute, it’s probably become increasingly clear that attaining these things is not anywhere as easy as the people selling us these dreams make it sound. 

How do we avoid falling into this trap and chasing a dream that’s usually built on total BS? 

In this episode of Duped, we’re looking at the luxury lifestyle that’s inescapable if you work in the online business world.

Learn more at duped.online

If you're a fan of the BS-Free Service Business Show, check out Duped. Duped is a limited series podcast hosted by myself and Dr. Michelle Mazur, where we talk about the dark side of online business that you need to know about, and more importantly, how to protect yourself from falling prey to these tactics and tricks. 

______________

The seven-figure income. The passive income dream. You have to spend money to make money. If I can do it, so can you!

Any of those sound familiar?

You’ve probably heard all of those and more when it comes to the world of online business, and most of us can probably agree on one thing:

I’m totally over it, and I bet you are too!

These tired internet marketing tropes are pushed in our faces repeatedly, yet it’s actually pretty rare that they actually ring true. 

Which is exactly why we need to know how to spot them when we see them. 

On this episode of Duped, we’re breaking down these internet marketing tropes so you can avoid them both in and out of your business.

If you're a fan of the BS-Free Service Business Show, check out Duped. Duped is a limited series podcast hosted by myself and Dr. Michelle Mazur, where we talk about the dark side of online business that you need to know about, and more importantly, how to protect yourself from falling prey to these tactics and tricks. 

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If you’ve ever looked closely at the tactics used in the online business world, you may have been shocked to notice some parallels with something completely unexpected — a cult.

The power dynamics. The focus on mindset. The endless investing in yourself. The worry that if you speak up against the status quo you may find yourself completely ostracized.

But then you think….that will never happen to ME.

Well guess what? Nobody is immune to these tactics, Which is exactly why we need to know how to spot them when doing business online. 

In this episode, we’re exploring the cult-like side of online business, and what you need to know to protect yourself.

If you're a fan of the BS-Free Service Business Show, check out Duped. Duped is a limited series podcast hosted by myself and Dr. Michelle Mazur, where we talk about the dark side of online business that you need to know about, and more importantly, how to protect yourself from falling prey to these tactics and tricks.

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If you’ve been in the online biz world for a hot minute, you’ve probably experienced what’s called bro marketing.

Bro marketing is the use of psychological triggers and other persuasive hacks to shut down critical thinking without our consent. The goal is to sell more products through manipulation and coercion. 

Sounds pretty shady, right?

Even if you don’t look like a bro, or think you’re doing any bro marketing, it doesn’t mean bro marketing hasn’t found its way into your biz. It is everywhere…..which is why on this episode of Duped we’re diving in. 

We’re breaking down the bro marketing binary — what it is, how to recognize it, and what you can do to keep it out of your biz for good.

Learn more about Duped at duped.online 

The reality of being a solo business owner is that there are only so many hours in the day. You want to make more money, but you also want not ultimately to burn out.

So what’s a solo biz owner to do? 

In this episode, I’m breaking down the myth of scaling and showing you how to use strategy to grow your business without burning out.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• The Staying Solo Framework and which three pillars provide ways to grow. 

• Why you should embrace leverage over scaling.

• The problems with conventional business wisdom for solo biz owners.

• How selling strategy can help you break through the revenue ceiling.

• Specific considerations for upgrading your overall business strategy. 

• Why your delivery model is a strategic lever for your business.

For detailed show notes and links to everything in this episode, please visit bsfreebusiness.com.

Be sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode, and you can get Staying Solo updates by email by signing up here.

If you're a fan of the BS-Free Service Business Show, check out Duped. Duped is a limited series podcast hosted by myself and Dr. Michelle Mazur, where we talk about the dark side of online business that you need to know about, and more importantly, how to protect yourself from falling prey to these tactics and tricks. 

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Remember when the word expert next to someone’s name actually meant that they were, in fact, an expert in their field?

Yeah, so do we.

Now, in a world where people can literally create any persona they want on the internet, the designation of “expert” can be incredibly misleading. These self-declared experts are out there, giving advice, selling you products and in many cases, they’re influencers — NOT experts.

So how do you parse out the real from the fake? 

In this episode of Duped, we’re breaking down the difference between influencers and actual experts, and talking about the dirty truth of what we’re seeing on social media.

If you're a fan of the BS-Free Service Business Show, check out Duped. Duped is a limited series podcast hosted by myself and Dr. Michelle Mazur, where we talk about the dark side of online business that you need to know about, and more importantly, how to protect yourself from falling prey to these tactics and tricks.

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Have you noticed that “ethical” has become the buzzword-du-jour in the 2021 online business world?

Listen. Running an ethical business is important, but doing that can seem pretty challenging when so much of what we’ve been taught about sales and marketing is contrary to ethical practices. 

There’s also now a whole cohort of biz owners hopping on the bandwagon and *saying* they’re ethical when they are changing a thing about how they do business. So it’s pretty clear that label themselves as such are ethical in name only.

This is the newest way celebrity entrepreneurs are duping their customers, and that’s what we are breaking down on this episode of Duped.

Learn more about Duped at duped.online 

Hands up if you’ve ever been told you need to “hustle harder”.

Keep your hands up if reading makes you want to have a nap, because the idea of hustling is downright exhausting. 

The relentless message around needing to hustle is contrary to why we ever started a business.

What we really need and want is more *freedom* with our time. 

That’s why I invited my guest Becca Rich, a holistic time management strategist and coach, to discuss the idea of time freedom and so much more.

Get the inside scoop here: smallbusinessboss.co/time-freedom