Welcome to the Women Choosing Growth podcast, your go-to show actionable advice to grow your business to be worth millions while sharing empowering stories of triumph and navigating obstacles from women entrepreneurs, industry experts, and thought leaders who have experienced the inevitable challenges that come with entrepreneurship.
Whether you're embarking on your entrepreneurial journey or seeking to elevate your business to new heights, our podcast is your ultimate resource hub, providing you with the essential tools, valuable resources, and a supportive community to foster your business growth.
I'm your host, Tina Sue, a lifelong entrepreneur and business growth advisor, and together, we'll crush a wide range of topics tailored specifically to the needs of women entrepreneurs. From effective marketing strategies to mastering the art of sales, from financial management to transformative leadership techniques, and from personal growth to professional development – we've got you covered.
Get ready to supercharge your business growth, work smarter, and build a business you will eventually sell form millions! This podcast is a must-listen for ambitious women entrepreneurs who are determined to thrive.
TO BE A GUEST ON OUR SHOW, VISIT: https://www.tina-sue.com
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Tina Sue | Cracking the 3 Million-Dollar Milestones: A Blueprint for 1st Time Entrepreneurs
Episode 75
Monday, April 7, 2025 • Duration 15:49
🎧 Episode Summary
You’ve hit a million in revenue—or you’re gunning for it. But here’s the real question: does that mean you actually have a million-dollar business?
In this solo episode, Tina Sue breaks down the three millionaire milestones every woman entrepreneur must understand if she wants to build real, lasting wealth through her business. You’ll discover why revenue is just one data point—and why focusing on profitability and enterprise value can unlock freedom, options, and a business that truly works for you.
Whether you're scaling past your first million or building your business for long-term value, this episode will help you think more strategically, avoid common traps, and take your company to the next level.
🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
What really defines a “million-dollar” business (hint: it’s not just revenue)
Why taking any customer can hurt your growth (and what to do instead)
How to think about enterprise value—even if you’re not planning to sell
The surprising reason most business owners leave money on the table
How a profit-driven mindset gives you more freedom, options, and impact
💡 Memorable Quotes:
“Revenue means nothing. It's just a data point. What matters is value and profit.”
“The wrong customer actually costs you money—so get clear on your ideal one.”
“The less your business depends on you, the more it’s worth to someone else.”
Irma Neal | Leading Through Chaos: How to Navigate Workplace Challenges with Confidence
Episode 74
Monday, March 31, 2025 • Duration 48:17
🎧 Episode Summary
In this episode of Women Choosing Growth, host Tina Sue welcomes Irma Neal, co-founder of Onyx Rising, leadership expert, and author of Leading in Chaos. With over three decades of experience in government and corporate leadership, Irma has seen it all—from managing large organizations in crisis to helping leaders navigate financial wellness and organizational change. She shares powerful insights on leadership, financial literacy, and managing workplace dynamics, drawing from her personal journey and extensive professional background.
🗝️ Key Topics Covered
The connection between financial literacy and leadership—how financial stress impacts workplace productivity.
Leading through chaos—Irma’s experiences managing challenging workplaces and implementing transformational change.
Identifying toxic workplace dynamics and turning disengaged employees into engaged contributors.
Why inclusive leadership matters and how to engage every employee in the vision.
Financial wellness for employees—how leaders can help their teams build financial security.
How businesses can use financial education as a tool for employee engagement and retention.
✅ Actionable Takeaways
Embrace the troublemaker—engage the most vocal or resistant employees to bring them into the vision.
Observe before acting—take time to understand team dynamics before making leadership decisions.
Tie financial literacy into company culture—help employees understand benefits like 401(k)s and health savings accounts.
Explain the "why" behind decisions—employees are more likely to follow rules when they understand their purpose.
Recognize top performers—don’t overlook your best employees while managing workplace challenges.
Courtney Hurley & Kelly Evans | Simplify and Focus To Scale (Part 1)
Episode 65
Tuesday, December 24, 2024 • Duration 41:59
Episode 65 | Courtney Hurley & Kelly Evans | Simplify and Focus to Scale
In this episode of Women Choosing Growth, host Tina Sue sits down with the dynamic sister duo, Courtney Hurley and Kelly Evans, founders of Screws and Stilettos. They share powerful insights on regaining control of your business, simplifying your marketing strategies, and tapping into your innate strengths. Courtney introduces the science of flow state, detailing how to achieve peak performance and boost productivity by up to 500%. Meanwhile, Kelly explains why a solid foundation is critical for business success.
Actionable Takeaways in Part One:
Leverage Flow State: Block 90-minute intervals for deep work and minimize distractions to achieve higher productivity.
Power Down Ritual: End your workday by identifying the 1-3 tasks that will most impact your business the next day.
Meeting Management: Stack meetings on specific days (e.g., Tuesdays and Thursdays) to protect deep focus time.
Eliminate Distractions: Use tools like Inbox When Ready to control email notifications and avoid constant interruptions.
Align with Purpose: Clarify your core purpose to guide business decisions and avoid missteps.
Kerry Ann King | Mastering Your Personal and Professional Productivity
Episode 64
Tuesday, December 3, 2024 • Duration 53:41
Episode 64 | Mastering Your Personal and Professional Productivity with Kerry Ann King
In this episode of Women Choosing Growth, Tina Sue sits down with Kerry Ann King, founder of Eluminate Labs, to uncover actionable strategies for mastering productivity both at work and in life. Kerry Ann shares her inspiring journey from corporate roles to creating an innovative productivity app and how her experiences shaped her approach to personal and professional growth.
Key Takeaways:
Productivity Insights Through Data
Kerry Ann explains how tracking data about your habits can reveal patterns that reduce guilt and improve efficiency. Her example of working late on Fridays illustrates how understanding these patterns can empower you to make better decisions.
Illuminate Labs’ Mission
Eluminate Labs focuses on creating tools and systems that promote human-centered productivity and reduce the exploitative nature of traditional tech business models.
The Power of Reflection
Failing to reflect on your productivity patterns can lead to burnout or misaligned goals. Kerry Ann emphasizes the importance of periodically evaluating your habits to ensure long-term success and fulfillment.
Fin: Positive Productivity App
Kerry Ann's app, Fin, offers features like tracking tasks, routines, and patterns of productivity, as well as providing coaching support to improve consistency and focus.
Understanding Your Unique Productivity Style
Everyone has peak productivity times. Identifying yours—whether it's morning, mid-afternoon, or another time—can help you optimize your schedule and energy for high-value tasks.
Building Accountability Without Burnout
Kerry Ann discusses how to create natural accountability systems to get things done joyfully rather than from a place of obligation or guilt.
Jessica Rhodes | Everything You Need To Know About Podcasting (Hosting and Guesting)
Episode 63
Monday, November 18, 2024 • Duration 43:08
Episode 63 | Everything You Need To Know About Podcasting | Guest: Jessica Rhodes
To grab your Podcast Interview Prep Checklist - click HERE.
In this episode of Women Choosing Growth, host Tina Sue sits down with Jessica Rhodes, the founder of Interview Connections, the world’s first podcast booking agency. Since its launch in 2013, Jessica’s agency has booked over 30,000 podcast interviews for more than 800 clients. Her mission is to help entrepreneurs leverage podcasting as a tool for business growth, authority-building, and meaningful connections.
Jessica shares her journey from working in the nonprofit sector to founding Interview Connections. With the guidance of her entrepreneurial father, she built an agency that has now become an industry leader in podcast booking. Her approach focuses on strategic, high-quality placements that elevate her clients’ visibility and impact.
Key Topics Covered:
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Podcast: Podcasting benefits businesses aiming to build credibility and reach a wider audience, though it’s less effective for local businesses without an online presence.
Guesting vs. Hosting: Jessica discusses the benefits of starting as a guest to build a network, making it easier to launch a podcast later. Podcasting helps reach a niche audience effectively.
ROI of Podcasting: Success isn’t about download numbers but engaging the right listeners who convert. Even a small, loyal audience can generate significant ROI.
Strategic Benefits of Podcast Guesting: Jessica highlights networking, SEO, and content repurposing as hidden benefits of podcast guesting, helping entrepreneurs expand their digital footprint.
Marti Wymer | The Do's and Don'ts of Creating a Great Customer Experience
Episode 62
Monday, November 4, 2024 • Duration 37:59
Episode 62 | Do's and Don'ts for Creating a Great Customer Experience with Marti Wymer
In this inspiring episode of Women Choosing Growth, Tina Sue speaks with Marti Wymer, founder of Spoonful of Comfort. Marti shares how her business began as a simple idea from her kitchen, driven by a desire to bring comfort to others, and grew into a successful enterprise known for its commitment to exceptional customer care.
Marti shares her “Do’s and Don’ts” for customer experience, emphasizing small gestures that leave lasting impressions. Her team prioritizes a customer-first approach rooted in empathy, from personalizing gifts to addressing delivery issues. By fostering trust and genuine relationships, Marti has built remarkable customer loyalty and provides practical advice on creating memorable experiences that drive business growth.
Key Topics Covered:
The Origins of Spoonful of Comfort: Marti shares how a deeply personal experience inspired her to start Spoonful of Comfort, a business dedicated to delivering warmth and care in every package.
Creating a Memorable Customer Experience:
Do: Small gestures make a big impact. Marti’s team goes the extra mile, from crafting personalized messages and custom products, like a custom “Call Your Auntie” sign for a college care package.
Don’t: Cover up mistakes. Marti emphasizes honesty and taking responsibility, even when issues are beyond their control, as with weather delays impacting Valentine’s Day shipments.
Customer Loyalty Through Empathy and Responsibility: Marti explains how empathy is integral to Spoonful of Comfort’s success, and how treating customers as real people fosters loyalty and long-term growth.
Notable Quotes:
Hannah MacDonald-Dannecker | How to Recruit, Train and Retain Gen Z'ers.
Episode 61
Monday, October 21, 2024 • Duration 45:30
Episode 61:
How to Recruit, Train and Retain Generation Z Population
Episode Highlights:
Hannah Dannecker discusses the unique characteristics of Generation Z (born 1997–2012) and the challenges and opportunities businesses face when recruiting and retaining them.
She breaks down the key traits of Gen Z, including their deep connection to technology, desire for flexibility, and different career aspirations compared to previous generations.
The conversation touches on Gen Z’s need for meaningful work and how businesses can build an environment that fosters connection and retention.
Notable Quotes:
"Tech isn’t just a tool for Gen Z; it’s a part of their body." — Hannah Dannecker
"If you give them value and help them understand why they’re doing what they’re doing, they’ll stay with you longer." — Hannah Dannecker
"Generation Z is craving human connection more than any generation before them." — Hannah Dannecker
"It’s a blessing to influence the next generation while they’re still influential." — Hannah Dannecker
Actionable Takeaways:
Recruiting Gen Z:
Be strategic about where you post job openings (social media platforms, online groups, referrals).
Use engaging, creative job descriptions that grab their attention quickly—Gen Z has a short attention span.
Focus on transparency in the job details and make sure you're communicating authentically.
Retaining Gen Z:
Always provide the "why" behind tasks to help Gen Z employees see the bigger picture and find meaning in their work.
Offer a mix of essential tasks with something "yummy" that excites or challenges them.
Build trust through mentorship, not just management. Break down walls by listening and learning before giving instructions.
Sara Dale | Unleashing your Badassery: How Confidence-Building Can Transform Your Business & Life
Episode 60
Monday, October 7, 2024 • Duration 48:29
Episode 60:
Unleashing Your Badassery: How Confidence-Building Can Transform Your Business & Life
Episode Highlights:
Sarah Dale, founder of Project 1490, shares her journey from a successful advertising career to empowering corporate women by teaching outdoor skills that build confidence.
Discover how seemingly unrelated activities like archery, chopping wood, or even knitting can help women develop leadership qualities and self-reliance.
Explore the concept of the "confidence gap" and how women can actively work to close it through intentional experiences that challenge their comfort zones.
Sarah explains why traditional networking isn't always effective for women and offers a refreshing perspective on authentic, activity-based networking.
Learn how confidence often outweighs competence in career progression and how women can leverage confidence-building techniques to advance in the corporate world.
Notable Quotes:
Sarah Dale: “Anything that gets you to do the things that you never thought you could, or really outside of your comfort zone, is pretty badass.”
Sarah Dale: “If you get a group of people doing something that they really don’t know how to do and learning together, all those layers of pretense just drop off.”
Sarah Dale: “If we just sit around waiting for the world to change, I think it’s predicted we’ll get equal pay in 150 years. That’s not okay with me.”
Sarah Dale: “The more things we know how to do, the more empowered we feel.”
Actionable Takeaways:
1. Expand Your Comfort Zone: Identify activities that challenge you but don’t terrify you. This "middle circle" is where real growth happens. Whether it’s learning to tie knots, riding a horse, or fixing a car, stepping outside of your comfort zone builds confidence.
Karen Grosz | Quiet Leadership: Leading with Intention, Empathy & Action
Episode 59
Monday, September 23, 2024 • Duration 38:08
Episode 59 | Quite Leadership
Guest: Karen Grosz
This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to elevate their leadership style by embracing empathy, quiet strength, and leading with intention.
In this inspiring episode, Tina Sue sits down with leadership expert Karen Grosz to explore the transformative power of "Quiet Leadership." Karen shares her incredible journey from a shy PTA president to a sought-after speaker and leadership coach, offering listeners actionable advice on how to lead teams with empathy, intention, and quiet strength.
Key Takeaways:
Ask More Than You Tell: Leadership isn't about having all the answers. Instead, Karen emphasizes asking powerful questions like, “What do you want to know from me?” to create a culture of trust and collaboration.
Act More Than You Direct: Leaders today need to be in the trenches with their teams. Karen encourages listeners to lead by example—whether that means picking up the trash or sharing in the work—showing that leadership is about action, not just direction.
Celebrate More Than You Correct: One of the most impactful lessons Karen offers is the power of intentional celebration. She believes that by focusing on the positive and recognizing the right actions, leaders can drive better results.
Notable Quotes:
"You can change the world with a whisper. You do not have to have a riot." – Karen Grosz
"Leadership now has to be intuitive and a little more quiet for it to be effective." – Karen Grosz
"Celebrate more than you correct. Really good recognition will solve every problem in an organization." – Karen Grosz
"You can do this, and you deserve to do this." – Karen Grosz
Karen also touches on the importance of mindset in leadership and how often we let fear stop us from moving forward. Through storytelling and practical examples, Karen inspires leaders to trust their instincts and step into their leadership roles with confidence.
Melissa Broughton | The Tax System is Rigged
Episode 58
Monday, September 16, 2024 • Duration 48:20
Episode 58 | The Tax System is Rigged | Guest: Melissa Broughton
In this thought-provoking episode of Women Choosing Growth, host Tina Sue dives deep into the complexities of the tax system with Melissa Broughton, founder of Busy Bee Advisors and author of The 4-Hour Bookkeeper. Melissa brings her expertise in finance, bookkeeping, and taxes to the forefront, sharing invaluable insights for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Melissa’s journey from corporate accounting and auditing to helping sole proprietors master their finances is inspiring and filled with humor and practical wisdom. She highlights the importance of working with a trusted tax professional who can educate and guide clients through the intricacies of taxes and bookkeeping, ensuring they feel confident in their financial decisions.
Throughout the episode, Tina and Melissa discuss various tax-related challenges that business owners face, from understanding what qualifies as a business expense to navigating audit triggers. Melissa emphasizes the importance of regular communication with your tax advisor, rather than just relying on them for basic form-filling.
Melissa’s unique perspective as a "financial translator" helps demystify the tax system, making it clear that business success isn’t just about profitability—it’s about financial freedom, fulfillment, and a solid understanding of your numbers.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
Melissa’s transition from corporate auditing to helping small businesses with bookkeeping and taxes.
The critical importance of working with a proactive and knowledgeable tax professional.
How to identify acceptable business expenses and avoid common audit triggers.
Why regular communication with your tax advisor is essential to maintaining compliance and optimizing your finances.
Practical strategies for mastering your business’s finances in as little as 4 hours per month.
Notable Quotes:
"You cannot just put your head in the sand and hope taxes go away." – Melissa Broughton
💬 Notable Quotes
"When there's chaos, someone is benefiting from it. Leaders need to identify that and address it." – Irma Neal
"The best way to handle workplace resistance is to include the troublemakers in the vision." – Irma Neal
"Financial stress is a workplace productivity killer. Companies must recognize the role financial education plays in performance." – Irma Neal
"The strongest leaders don’t just bark orders—they engage, listen, and inspire their teams." – Tina Sue
The Power of Persistence in Podcasting: Podcasting is a long-term investment, and Jessica encourages entrepreneurs to stay committed and patient for lasting brand growth.
Notable Quotes:
"It’s not about vanity metrics. It’s about getting in front of the right people."
– Jessica Rhodes
"Think of 200 listeners like an auditorium of ideal clients—intimate, engaged, and loyal." – Jessica Rhodes
"Ladies, let’s go! We need more women leaders to be visible, claiming our authority. Take that step to get on stage, because it’s going to change the world." – Jessica Rhodes
"When you’re sending a product out with your mother’s name on it, it keeps you grounded in what you’re doing and what’s important." — Marti Wymer
"If there’s a mistake, we don’t try to cover it up. We just take responsibility and make sure we deliver on what we promised." — Marti Wymer
"The right thing to do is the right thing to do, especially when there’s a hard decision to make." — Marti Wymer
Actionable Takeaways:
Building Customer Trust: Honesty and proactive communication with customers—even during challenging times—builds lasting trust and loyalty.
Going the Extra Mile: Simple, thoughtful gestures create memorable experiences. Encourage team members to personalize customer interactions whenever possible.
Fostering Customer Loyalty: Treat each customer interaction as a relationship, focusing on genuine care and responsiveness.
2. Redefine Networking: Seek out authentic networking opportunities that involve shared experiences rather than traditional events. Build relationships while doing something engaging, like fishing or attending a hands-on workshop.
3. Confidence Over Competence: Focus on building your confidence, not just your competency. Confidence leads to more opportunities and promotions, often outweighing technical skill.
4. Create a “New Night”: Try a "new night" challenge. Go out and do something you've never done before—whether it's wearing your hair differently, trying a new activity, or going somewhere you've never been. It’s a fun way to break out of your routine and build confidence.
5. Small Steps to Big Change: Start small when making bold moves outside your comfort zone. Don’t overwhelm yourself with big leaps—make manageable steps toward your goals.
Karen is offering a free signed copy of her book Quiet Leadership to listeners! Just email her and mention this episode for your chance to dive deeper into her leadership strategies.
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