The Scrappy Business Owner

In the final episode of the How to Start a Business series, we're tackling the thing that stops most people before they even begin: fear. Fear is real… but it's still just a feeling. And feelings aren't where wise business decisions come from (ask me how I know — 22 years of marriage has taught me plenty about emotional decision-making!). Inside this episode, I share: • Why fear doesn't cancel your calling • Why God doesn't expect you to know everything • How courage creates confidence • What my embarrassing launch taught me • How to reframe "What if I fail?" • Why baby steps matter more than big leaps • Psalm 37:23–24 and how God holds you even when you fall If you're starting a business and fear keeps whispering "stop," this episode will give you truth, encouragement, and a nudge forward. Homework: DM me on Instagram (@startpointmediagroup) and tell me the fear you're facing — and the step you're taking anyway.

If you're wondering how to price your services, make a profit, and grow your business connections—this episode is for you! I'm sharing my real-world advice from over 10 years in business, including: 💰 How to price your services without undercharging 📈 When and how to raise your prices 💵 What tools I use to manage business expenses (like Harvest, Canva, and my email platform) 🌐 The power of networking online and locally 🧭 How to stay flexible and pivot when trends shift Homework this week: 1️⃣ Set up your Stripe or PayPal account 2️⃣ Join a few local or Facebook networking groups 3️⃣ Connect with a business coach or accountability partner 👉 Don't miss next week's final episode in this series where we tackle FEAR—the one thing that keeps most entrepreneurs from moving forward! #SmallBusinessTips #StartABusiness #ScrappyBusinessOwner #EntrepreneurLife #PricingTips

You don't need fancy gear or a flawless setup to show up confidently for your business — you just need a plan and a little courage.  In this episode, I'm sharing simple ways to represent yourself well online — from lighting and camera tips to professional headshots and creating a distraction-free background. You'll learn how to look (and feel!) confident without overcomplicating it. Because showing up authentically is what builds trust and get you customers. ✨ Mentioned in this episode: 📸 My favorite webcam  🎥 Tripod with Ring Light  🚙 Portable tripod (for on-the-go filming)

Starting a business doesn't mean spending a fortune — but it does mean investing wisely. In this episode of The Scrappy Business Owner Podcast, Holly breaks down the real startup costs most new business owners forget about (and how to keep them from derailing your momentum). You'll learn: Why business owners should sow into others and not expect everything for free How to handle bartering, boundaries, and professionalism with integrity The low-cost way to get your legal and banking setup right Why "done is better than perfect" will save your sanity The basic marketing expenses you should (and shouldn't) budget for Homework: 📘 Grab Profit First and Thou Shall Prosper 💻 Create your logo in Canva 🏦 Open your operating & tax bank accounts 💰 Start setting aside a little seed money Tune in and learn how to start your business the smart and scrappy way — with wisdom, integrity, and faith.

Got tons of ideas but not sure which one to start with? In this episode of the Scrappy Business Owner Podcast, we're talking about how to narrow your focus, choose a business idea that fits your God-given gifts, and pick a name that actually works. You'll learn how to: ✅ Pray through your business ideas and trust God's direction ✅ Research what it takes to launch (certifications, products, laws, and more) ✅ Pick a name that's memorable, relevant, and available online ✅ Commit to "work" your idea for 6–12 months Your homework this week: Pray. Talk to your spouse. Do your research. Pick your name. Secure your URL. Because scrappy business owners don't wait for perfect — they start where they are. RESOURCES: To learn how to connect with God as you prepare to figure out your business, check out my friend Karol's podcast: The 30 Second Prayer. Here's my favorite website (that's cheap) for you to secure that URL: NameSilo  

If you've ever wanted to do something, but keep talking yourself out of it because you're scared - then this episode is for you. There's a lot of self-help books, courses,and memes out there that tell you to be confident. There's also a lot of information out there about being courageous too. But…bravery, that's where we often waiver between courage and confidence. Which means we end up getting stuck. So, in this episode, I'm sharing a few things that are plaguing you from actually being brave as well as some things you can do to push through and do all that God has called you to do. Here are the highlights: Definitions: COURAGE : the ability to do something that frightens one. BRAVE: endure or face (unpleasant conditions or behavior) without showing fear; showing courage CONFIDENCE: a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities. In layman's terms: Courage - do it scared. Bravery - do it scared turns to do it less scared Confidence - Another level of less scared. 4 things that can keep you from being brave: Past mistakes/regrets Words that have been spoken over you. Low self-esteem The Unknown 6 things YOU can do to be brave: Community - find a group of people being brave and connect. Be cautious with who you share your dreams/bravery with. Have a trusted friend or spouse to share your dreams and who can encourage you to be brave. Take baby steps. A whole bunch of little steps in bravery can equal big steps. Journal - write down thoughts, dreams, and positives/negatives of any decisions. Find bible verses that strengthen your spirit. Here are my favorite ones: Proverbs 4:12 Psalm 37:23-25 Psalm 32:8 Psalm 37:4 Proverbs 3:5 Proverbs 21:5 Proverbs 22: 29 This week's challenge: Be Brave…do it scared, then keep doing it scared until it's less scary. ******* And if you're looking for more tips and tricks on promoting your business on social media, follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

Being a mompreneur definitely has its challenges. As moms and business owners, we are oftentimes operating in survival mode and sometimes it seems impossible to juggle being a mom, managing a home, keeping everyone alive and trying to start and run that business. In this week's episode, I am sharing some helpful ideas that I learned about starting and growing a business, while raising little ones. ******* And if you're looking for more tips and tricks on promoting your business on social media, follow me on Facebook and Instagram.  

If you have a physical location, you MUST have an online presence in order for people to find you. Thanks to technology people are searching for businesses just like yours online. Recently my family went on vacation and we spent a ton of time searching up restaurants, activities and a variety of other things to do.  We all discovered there were some things that businesses could do a better job with in their online presence. This week, I'm sharing some helpful insights into some common mistakes we noticed. Here's a breakdown of the topics: Have you secured your Google My Business Page? (01:52) Do you have a Facebook page and are you posting consistently? Get Holly's 30+ post ideas here. (06:47) If you have a website, is it showing up correctly on mobile? (10:01) Billboards are expensive, but sometimes great advertising. Are you showcasing your business in the best light a possible? (11:23) Do you sell experiences? Try video. (16:45) Are you asking customers to review their experience on Google or Facebook? (21:00) Is the service you provide helping or hurting you from getting customers or repeat customers? (22:40) ******* And if you're looking for more tips and tricks on promoting your business on social media, follow me on Facebook and Instagram.  

We've all heard the dreaded words, "We can't do ____ because it's our policy," right?? How'd it make you feel? Frustrated. Annoyed. Despite the fact that we don't like hearing it, there's probably a good chance you've used that on your customers once or twice too. And I guarantee they feel the same way. In this week's episode, I'm sharing some tips on how you can reword this phrase so you can protect both your customers and your business with limited frustrations on all parties.

What would happen if your business's Facebook or Instagram page was shut down today?  Would your customers know how to reach you?  Would you have a plan in place to still connect with your customers?  In this episode, I'm sharing 3 important tips that'll help you protect yourself and your business if social media happens to go sideways. Each of these tips are like insurance policies. They protect you from Murphy's Law – if anything can happen, it will.  Here's a breakdown of the podcast:  Protect against hacking with two-factor authentication.  Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Expand your social media platforms.  Get your email list up and running (and without being spammy). Snag my free training on how to grow your email list here. *******  And if you're looking for more tips and tricks on promoting your business on social media, follow Holly on Facebook and Instagram.   

New social media platforms are always coming out, but that doesn't mean you need to be on it. In this week's episode of The Scrappy Business Owner Podcast, I'm sharing 5 questions that will help you decide if you should create an account on a new platform or stick with what you're currently on. Here are some questions you should ask yourself: 1. Are my customers going to be there? If you're not sure who your customers are and what platforms their on, download my Customer Demographic Worksheet and Training here:  2. Am I doing a good job with the platforms I'm already on? 3. Do I have the time to keep up with another platform? 4. Am I doing this because of FOMO or peer pressure? 5. If I add a platform, how long will I give myself to see if it works?   *******  And if you're looking for more tips and tricks on promoting your business on social media, follow Holly on Facebook and Instagram. 

We've all experienced those random friend requests from people we know we're already friends with. And we also may have gotten a sketchy DM from a friend promoting bitcoin. Both of these are an example of both imposter accounts and a hacker.    In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing some helpful sight into how to know the difference between the two and most importantly - how to prevent and handle them.   Here's a synopsis: Imposter accounts actually take your photos tweak your name just a bit (add a space, character or extra letter in the name) Send out friend requests How to handle: Report & Block the account Hacking They know your password and have logged into your account. They can send DMs, access your business accounts, ad accounts and groups. It means, you did not set up security on your account. How to handle Change your password Set up two-factor authentication immediately Contact the social media platforms (search for hacked accounts): Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/help/ Instagram - https://help.instagram.com/  

Business conferences and conventions are a great opportunity to connect with other business owners, get encouragement and help you take your business to the next level. But, oftentimes  business owners try to talk themselves out of going. Whether it comes down to budgets or time, I'm sharing some practical insight into the importance of saying YES to the business conference…despite your budgets, times and even personal apprehensions, like being an introvert. I'm not only giving you a couple of benefits you'll get from going to a conference, but I'm also sharing tips on how to prepare your business, so you can unplug and get what you need out of it.  

Charging for your business can be hard. Especially if we started our business as a hobby. In this episode, I'm unpacking a few mindsets that may be keeping you stuck with charging or even increasing your pricing.   From the practical hangups to the psychological hangups, it's hard for business owners to get the confidence to make money. Just like you, I had to overcome these similar challenges and mindsets. So, this week I'm sharing how I faced these challenges and not only started charging, but have a plan for when to increase prices too.

It's easy for us to use the word small when it comes to describing our business. Sure, we're lumped in the general category of "small business," but there is nothing small about your business.  In fact, you and your business make a BIG impact in not only your personal life, but the lives around you.  In this episode, I'm sharing how you can remove the words like "small" or "little" from your vocabulary and discover the impacts that your business is actually making.  And don't forget to send me a DM on Instagram after you listen to the podcast and tell me how you're changing the words you use in describing your business. 

Social media is always changing and that means the algorithms are always changing too. The very best way to show up on social media is not to beat the algorithm, BUT to help your customers by putting valuable information in the right spots on social media. There are 3 components of social media that have different purposes and in this episode, Holly is giving simple insight into how to create value in each of these 3 areas: Stories Posts Reels And if you're looking for more tips and tricks on promoting your business on social media, follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

We are continuing on my series about the basics of creating a podcast and in this episode, I'm sharing 3 ways you can promote your podcast now that you have everything set up. And if you haven't finished setting up your podcast, that's OK. This episode will give you the ideas and direction you need once you do get it set up. In this episode, I cover the following ways I promote my podcast that will help give you the direction you need: Social Media (Facebook and Instagram) - a great place to start that's free and will get your podcast in front of your followers. Website - the perfect spot to send people to listen to your podcast if they don't want to listen on a podcasting platform like Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Email - sending a recap email of your podcast to your email subscribers is a perfect way to give them valuable content that isn't spammy. Plus, it's a great way to send your subscribers to your website. I cover a lot in this podcast and if you ever have any questions as you set up your own podcast, you can always send me a DM on Facebook or Instagram as well as sending me an email: holly@startpointmediagroup.com.  

Starting a podcast is a process and takes quite a few steps to get set up and last week I shared the basic and practical things (including software and equipment) you need to start a podcast. This week, I'm expanding on what we learned and we'll be talking about the fun things like: Determining the length of your podcast. Coming up with a name. Designing the graphics for your show. Coming up with interesting content that people will want to listen to. I cover a lot in this podcast and if you ever have any questions as you set up your own podcast, you can always send me a DM on Facebook or Instagram as well as sending me an email: holly@startpointmediagroup.com.

Podcasts are gaining quite a bit of popularity and after having my podcast for a little over a year, I've discovered it's a great way to get in front of new people and you can have a little fun with it too! In this episode, I'm pulling the curtain back on how I created my podcast, what steps I took and even what equipment and platforms I use that I know will help get you off on the right track. And if you're not a tech-person, don't worry! I'm breaking down the very basics and explaining everything in laymen's terms. 🙂 Here are some helpful links and definitions I mention in this podcast: Podcast Hosting Platform Options: BuzzSprout - https://www.buzzsprout.com/pricing Libsyn (what I use) - https://libsyn.com/plans-and-pricing/ RSS Feed - a link that your podcast show is given by your podcast hosting platform. Also known as a "destination," This link is what connects your hosting platform to the podcasting platforms like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, etc. Choose a place to record and edit Audacity - great for those with a desktop computer and is a free download program. https://www.audacityteam.org/download/ Garageband - for Mac/ipad users - https://www.apple.com/mac/garageband/ Podcasts are audio only so you need an MP3 file. If you have video you will need to convert from MP4 (video format) to MP3 (audio format). Here are few places you can convert these files: Filmora - customer uses that because they have video and exports the audio Upload to Dropbox and save the file as an MP3. Cloud Convert - I use this: https://cloudconvert.com/mp4-to-mp3 Get a microphone Yeti Blue sky podcast mic - $100 - https://a.co/d/aQOxyb3 Cheap lapel mic on Amazon - $20 - https://a.co/d/anvrdHZ If you'd like me to help you set up your podcast, send me a DM on Facebook or Instagram,  or you can email me to schedule your consultation at - info@startpointmediagroup.com.  

We've all faced closed doors at some point in my life. Sometimes breakthroughs are on the other side, so it's important to push through and force the door open. While other times, those doors are meant to be closed. In this week's podcast, I'm sharing a recent situation where I just couldn't force that stinkin' door open and walking away was the best decision. It was hard…really hard. But, in the midst of the thoughts of failure, I knew that was just not the door God had for me. All the "signs" of a dead end were 100% clear. When we are forced to walk away instead of through these doors, it can come with many different emotions and thoughts. From failure and embarrassment to peace and redirection, it's really okay to walk away from something. This episode is going to give you the permission you need to walk away, pivot and really step into the destiny that God has for you.