Claim OwnershipHere's What I Learned: Ditching Biz-as-Usual for Values, Freedom, and Doing It Your Way
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Welcome to Here's What I Learned, the podcast for progressive entrepreneurs ready to grow their businesses without sacrificing their values, creativity, or sanity. Hosted by me, Jacki Hayes—a systems strategist, unapologetic smutty romantasy fan, and D&D geek—this show is your go-to space for honest conversations about what it really takes to create a business and life you love.
Each week, we dive into relatable stories and actionable lessons from values-driven leaders who’ve figured out how to scale sustainably while staying true to themselves. Whether you’re managing growth, navigating overwhelm, or rethinking hustle culture, this podcast is here to show you that success doesn’t have to mean burnout.
If you value integrity, autonomy, and time freedom—and you’re looking for inspiration that’s as practical as it is empowering—you’ve found your people. Hit play, and let’s rewrite the rules together.
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Send us a text What if you only marketed your business in ways that actually brought you joy? What if you could ditch the pressure to “be everywhere” and still build a thriving, values-aligned brand? In this episode, I’m joined by M. Shannon Hernandez—founder of the Joyful Business Revolution and messaging strategist for purpose-driven entrepreneurs. Shannon brings a refreshing, radically human approach to marketing that centers joy, energy alignment, and sustainable growth. We di...
Send us a text If leads are slipping and proposals stall, it’s tempting to blame the platform. In this solo episode, I explain why most “tool problems” are really process gaps—and how I use my CARE framework (Clarity, Align, Reduce, Ease) to make the tools you already have work better. I walk you through defining “done,” reducing decision fatigue, setting cues you’ll actually notice, and when it does make sense to pilot new software—without derailing client work. Topics How I gut-check...
Send us a text What if your best marketing strategy isn’t a formula—but your ability to actually care? In this episode of Here’s What I Learned, website strategist and messaging expert Krista Walsh joins me to challenge the “best practices” baked into online business culture. From canine reactivity to content strategy, Krista shares how empathy—not exploitation—is the key to both personal breakthroughs and sustainable marketing. This is a must-listen for service providers who’ve ever felt ick...
Send us a text When we talk about building businesses that work for us, what does that actually mean in practice? This week on Here’s What I Learned, I’m joined by Faith Clarke—organizational culture strategist and co-creator of Feminist Founders—for a deep, energizing conversation about values-led business, strategic collaboration, and how we unlearn the reflex to fix everything... especially when it’s uncomfortable. Faith shares what she’s actively practicing right now: noticing the pull to...
Send us a text When your business relies entirely on your energy—how you feel, how focused you are, how much you can give—your systems need to work with you, not against you. In this re-released conversation from the Business with Ease summit, I sat down with strategist and Solopreneur Sisterhood founder Becky McCleery to unpack what it really means to design systems around your natural rhythms—not rigid routines. We talked about: Why “systems” aren’t just tech—they’re everything that helps y...
Send us a text What if building a successful business didn’t require you to constantly show up, speak louder, or outwork everyone around you? In this episode of Here’s What I Learned, I’m joined by Tara Reid—business and marketing strategist for introverted entrepreneurs—who shares how she built a sustainable, visibility-driven business without burning out. We talk about shifting from done-for-you services to scalable offers, how to honor your energy as a core business strategy, a...
Send us a text What does it really look like to build a business around your lived experience, your values, and your bandwidth—especially when capitalism tells you to do the opposite? In this episode of Here’s What I Learned, I’m joined by Megan Dowd—equity-centered coach, trademark Word Nerd, and the kind of business owner who doesn’t shy away from nuance. We dive deep into how to dismantle exploitation in your own business, what the online business industrial complex is actually doing to us...
Send us a text What if the way you’re “supposed to” grow your business… doesn’t actually work for you? In this episode, I’m joined by marketing strategist and entrepreneur Sarah Gemmell for a conversation that goes beyond funnels and frameworks. We talk about what it really means to build a business around your strengths, your season of life, and your capacity—especially if you're neurodivergent, caregiving, or just done with the noise. Sarah gets real about breaking up with the industry norm...
Send us a text What does it take to lead a business through seasons of change—and still feel like yourself inside of it? In this episode of Here’s What I Learned, Katherine Danesi joins me for a candid conversation on navigating uncertainty, evolving your offers, and creating a business that honors your actual life. From her days as a Fortune 500 exec to startup COO to systems-driven coach, Katherine has learned the value of doing business her way—and now helps others do the same. We explore ...
Send us a text We’ve made it to the end of Season 8—and today, I’m sharing the biggest themes that came up across every conversation I had with this season’s incredible business owners. These aren’t just talking points; they’re real-world lessons from folks who are rewriting the rules of business in ways that actually work for their lives. From rethinking what success really means, to drawing clear boundaries, to ditching outdated norms in favor of joy, sustainability, and alignment—this epis...
Send us a text Can you build a business you love and keep your day job—without burning out? I sit down with Chelsey Newmyer, behavior change specialist and founder of From Overwhelmed to Under Control, to unpack what it really takes to do both. From redefining productivity to letting go of the shame around evolving your offers, Chelsey offers insight-rich stories and strategies for creatives who are done with hustle culture and ready for a more values-aligned way to work. If you’ve ever quest...
Send us a text When your inbox values don’t align with your ethics... it’s time to change the rules. In this conversation, Jacki sits down with Bev Feldman—email strategist, tech fairy, and outspoken advocate for human-first systems—to unpack what it really means to run email marketing through a lens of consent, clarity, and care. Bev isn’t here to shame your funnel. She’s here to reframe it. We talk about walking away from “bro marketing,” setting boundaries with confidence, and why your opt...
Send us a text When your business demands more than your body can give, what do you do? In this episode, I sit down with Taina Brown—personal and professional development coach, somatic facilitator, and strategy whiz—for a powerful conversation on sustainable business practices, values alignment, and how Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown transformed the way she leads. After a health crisis forced her to pause her business entirely, Taina reimagined everything. From redefining what suc...
Send us a text What if staying solo didn’t mean staying stuck? This episode is your permission slip to step out of the client-work grind without adding to your payroll. Whether you’ve tried hiring and hated it, aren’t financially ready, or just like flying solo—there’s another path. And it starts with systems. This isn’t about tech for tech’s sake or hustle culture hacks. It’s about building a business that actually works for you. If you’ve been craving more space without managing more people...
Send us a text I spent years absorbing corporate “best practices”—how to write emails, how to hold meetings, how to pretend I wasn’t a full human while working. It wasn’t until I started working with creative, values-driven solopreneurs (like you) that I realized: a lot of those norms don’t actually serve us. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the corporate habits I’ve consciously unlearned—and how replacing them with more personal, intuitive approaches has helped my busin...
Send us a text What if your social media presence didn’t feel like a chore? In this candid conversation, I’m joined by Jayci Trujillo—founder of Happy Girl Marketing—for a refreshing chat on building flexible businesses, posting like a real human, and designing a social media strategy that works for you. We unpack everything from sourdough starters to sustainable client engagement, content creation myths, and what it actually means to do business your way (hint: it might not involve seven fig...
Send us a text In this episode of Here’s What I Learned, I sit down with podcast strategist and founder of Galati Media, Alesia Galati, to talk about building a values-first business, scaling intentionally, and why it's okay to burn it down and start again. We dive into doing business your way, creating sustainable systems, and overcoming imposter syndrome—especially when launching a podcast or trying to grow one without selling your soul. Alesia shares her insights on leading a mission-drive...
Send us a text I’m sharing how I’ve been using ChatGPT as a judgment-free, burnout-aware sounding board. Not to write content or automate my business systems, but to help me think clearer and make values-aligned decisions without spiraling into overthinking or dumping thousands on a coach every time I hit a fork in the road. I’ll walk you through how I use it like a meditation app for my business brain: to process decisions about capacityto evaluate offers based on energy, not just inco...
Send us a text In today's episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on four small (but mighty) systems tweaks that have made my business feel smoother, calmer, and way more me. These aren’t shiny new tools or complicated funnels. I’m talking about simple shifts that helped me stop fighting my own energy and start designing a business backend that supports the way I actually work. What next? Follow Here's What I Learned on your favorite podcast playerLeave a review so the podcast is seen by ...
Send us a text What happens when an HR pro leaves the corporate grind to build a business rooted in ethics, empathy, and real talk? In this episode, I sit down with Kirsten Ziegler, an HR consultant who’s rewriting the rules of people management for small business owners. From navigating the difference between contractors and employees (without a legal headache) to building better hiring practices from the inside out, Kirsten breaks it all down in a way that’s clear, calm, and incredibly help...
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