Small Business Straight Talk | Productivity, Time Management, Mindset, & Business Strategies

What if your business could write you a love letter? This Valentine's week, I recorded something different. I stepped aside and gave your business a voice. If things have felt heavy lately... if the spark has faded... if you've been wondering whether it's all worth it... this episode is for you. In this episode of the Small Business Straight Talk Podcast, your business has something to say to you. What You'll Discover: ✔ What Your Business Sees That You Might Have Forgotten ✔ Why Your Business Isn't The Enemy ✔ The Permission You Have To Reshape What You've Built ✔ An Invitation To Fall Back In Love ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, visit AmberDeLaGarza.com/413

Every broken promise to yourself has a cost. If you've been struggling to follow through on your own commitments, the problem might not be what you think. In this week's episode of the Small Business Straight Talk Podcast, I'm sharing a different lens on why you can't seem to keep promises to yourself, and it has nothing to do with discipline, willpower, or finding the right planner. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ Why Your Self-Trust Bank May Be Overdrawn And What That Means For Your Follow-Through ✔ The Fiduciary Responsibility You Have To Yourself That Most Business Owners Ignore ✔ How Small Broken Promises Compound Into A Trust Crisis ✔ The Micro-Deposit Strategy For Rebuilding Trust One Kept Promise At A Time ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, visit AmberDeLaGarza.com/412 P.S. I invite you to take my Next Level Business Owner Quiz! Find out what's most holding you back and get a personalized playlist to help you solve those pain points. Head on over to AmberDeLaGarza.com/QUIZ. And… If you're tired of being someone who breaks promises to yourself and you're ready to finally build the trust, the systems, and the follow-through your business needs, I'd like to talk to you. Schedule your Discovery Call at AmberDeLaGarza.com/Call.

What if you're just one connection away from your biggest breakthrough? In this encore episode of the Small Business Straight Talk Podcast, I'm bringing back one of my favorite interviews because the message is just as powerful now as when I first aired it. Brandon Fong, creator of the Magic Connection Method, shares the exact 5-step framework he used to land a dream opportunity as a college senior... and how you can use it to build relationships that open doors for your business. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ Why You're Just One Connection Away From Anything You Want ✔ The 5-Step Framework To Connect With Anyone ✔ How To Make An Irresistible Offer That Gets Busy People To Say Yes ✔ What Most Business Owners Get Wrong About Networking ✔ How To Find Anyone's Email And Craft Subject Lines That Get Opened ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, visit AmberDeLaGarza.com/411 P.S. Not sure what's holding you back from taking your business to the next level? Take my free Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get a personalized playlist to help you solve your biggest pain points. Head to AmberDeLaGarza.com/QUIZ And… If you're realizing that the connections you need won't happen unless you make time for them, let's talk. I'm currently at capacity but still taking discovery calls. Schedule yours at AmberDeLaGarza.com/Call

Is your tech stack creating chaos instead of efficiency? Maybe you've got tools you forgot you were paying for, duplicates doing the same job, or a backend so scattered you're not even sure where things live anymore. In this week's episode of the Small Business Straight Talk Podcast, I'm walking you through exactly how you or a team member can audit your tech stack, what to capture for each tool, and why it matters, so you can finally get clarity on what's actually running in your business. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ The Two Patterns Killing Your Operational Efficiency ✔ What To Track For Every Tool & Why Each Piece Matters ✔ The Question Most People Forget To Ask About Every Tool ✔ How This Audit Doubles As An Onboarding Doc For Future Hires ✔ Why Tech Bloat Comes Back & How To Prevent It ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, visit AmberDeLaGarza.com/410 P.S. I've created a free Tech Stack Audit Tracker template for you. No opt-in, no email required. Just head to AmberDeLaGarza.com/TechTracker, copy the template, and you or your team can start filling it in right away.

Wondering what's holding my business back? You're not alone. Every business owner I know is chasing the same things: clarity, focus, energy, freedom. But here's the truth most people don't want to hear. In this episode of the Small Business Straight Talk Podcast, I'm sharing why these outcomes can't be chased and what you need to focus on instead. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ The 7 Things Every Business Owner Wants Most And Why You Can't Chase Them ✔ Why Buying Another Planner Or App Won't Give You Clarity Or Focus ✔ The Difference Between Outcomes And Inputs That Changes Everything ✔ The 4 Pillars That Actually Create The Results You're After ✔ How To Stop Chasing And Start Building What You Really Want ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, visit AmberDeLaGarza.com/409 P.S. Not sure where to start? Take my Next Level Business Owner Quiz to find out which pillar needs your attention first. Head to AmberDeLaGarza.com/QUIZ And… If you're ready to stop chasing and start building, schedule a Discovery Call so we can discuss partnering together. Head to AmberDeLaGarza.com/Call  

Stuck on a decision you keep avoiding? Spinning on a problem you can't seem to solve? In this episode, I'm sharing one simple question that cuts through the overwhelm and helps you see clearly even when you're too close to the situation. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ Why being "too close" to a situation keeps you stuck and how to create the separation you need ✔ The 6 personal filters that cloud your judgment (fear, guilt, capacity limits, emotional attachment, self-doubt, and avoidance) ✔ One powerful reframe question that bypasses overthinking and reveals the obvious answer ✔ Why you'll fight for your business even when you won't fight for yourself and how to use that strategically ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, visit https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/408 P.S. Today's episode gave you one powerful question. But imagine having a strategy partner who helps you see clearly when you're too close to the situation. Someone who asks the right question at the right time. That's what coaching with me looks like. If you're ready to get unstuck, gain clarity, and make strategic decisions that move your business forward, I'd love to talk with you. Schedule your Discovery Call And… Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  

I dive into how you can identify both the internal beliefs and the external commitments that are silently running the show in your business in life. We talk about how to finally give yourself permission to let them go so you can step into 2026 lighter, clearer, and ready for true momentum. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ What Letting Go Really Is & What It Entails ✔ A Great Mantra To Live By That Grants You Desired Freedom ✔ The Most Important Question To Ask Yourself & Answer Honestly ✔ What Stands Between You & Relief From Your Commitments ✔ Common Expectations Beliefs, & Stories That Might Be Weighing You Down ✔ What Happens When You Release The Internal Weight ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/407 P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call  

I sit down with business coach and sales expert Sarah Walton to dive into the illusion of time abundance and money scarcity, help you shatter your mindset blocks around time and money, and discuss how managing your time with love and intention will make your money flow more abundantly. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ The Difference Between A Scarcity & Abundance Mindset ✔ How You Are Likely Preventing Money Flowing To You ✔ Sarah's Just-Get-To-Market Winning Strategy  ✔ The Important Question To Ask Yourself That Takes Pressure Off You ✔ One Of The Most Wasteful & Harmful Things You Can Do With Your Time ✔ The Entrepreneur "Porn" That You Must Stay Away From ✔ What Your #1 Job Is As A Business Owner ✔ The Relationship Between Your Nervous System & Abundance Of Time & Money ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/406   P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call  

I dive into how you can put a stop to the December panic setting and discover what you should actually focus on now to finish the year strong and guilt-free. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ What The December Trap Looks Like ✔ What Creates The Unnecessary Overwhelm & Why ✔ A Simple, Impactful Exercise To Determine What To Focus On ✔ How You Can Easily Release The Guilt That Comes Along With the Holiday Season ✔ The Most Strategic Thing You Can Do This Holiday Season ✔ Actions To Take To Feel Super Accomplished At The End Of The Month ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/405 P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call

I sit down with the founder and CEO of Perfectly Kept Books®, Misa Bacon, to dive into the inner workings of your relationship with your bookkeeper and specific strategies to make it a seamless back-and-forth collaboration that's personalized to get the best results for you and your business. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ What Misa Sees Out In The Wild West Of Her Clients' Books ✔ The Nuances Of Business Owners & Good Bookkeeper / Accountant Relationships ✔ What To Do If You're Not Receiving The Reports You're Paying For ✔ How Often You Should Be Talking With Your Bookkeeper ✔ Strategies To Work With Your Bookkeeper To Get The Results You Want ✔ Red Flags To Watch Out For & What To Consider When Hiring / Working With A Bookkeeper ✔ The Best Time Of Year To Hire A Bookkeeper ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/404   P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call

I dive into the crucial difference between being good busy and toxic busy so you can know the warning signs, make better choices, stop feeling so overwhelmed, and be better equipped to achieve success without burnout. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ What Good Busy Looks & Feels Like ✔ What Toxic Busy Looks & Feels Like ✔ My Natural Tendency & How I Choose To Combat It ✔ The Warning Signs You're Slipping Into Toxic Busy ✔ What To Do Instead ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/403  P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call  

I sit down with certified nutrition and life coach, Courtney Townley, to dive into her work of helping women reclaim their health while removing the overwhelm from their health journey, and discuss her new book The Consistency Code: A Midlife Woman's Guide to Deep Health and Happiness. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✓ The 4 Distinct Practices For Women's Wellness That Actually Work ✓ Why Health At Midlife Is Fundamentally A Stress Management Game (And How To Win It)  ✓ When Courtney Knew She Had A Book & What She Learned In The Process Of Writing It ✓ What Her Integrity Pains Were And How She Pushed Through Them ✓ The Real Nutrition Deficiencies That Have Nothing To Do With Food ✓ Courtney's Advice For Busy Business Owners To Get Out Of The Spin Cycle ✓ How To Practice Consistent Self-Honoring Instead Of Daily Rigid Routines ✓ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/402   P.S. If you're a woman navigating midlife and feeling stuck in the start-stop cycle, I can't recommend Courtney Townley's book enough. It's far from your typical health book. Courtney digs into the real reasons we struggle to be consistent, and it has nothing to do with willpower. She talks about our stories, our patterns, and how to build a life that actually sustains us. If you're tired of quick fixes and want something that actually addresses the root of the problem, you need this book. Check out Courtney's podcast Grace & Grit and grab your copy of her book or audio book here at the link below!

I go behind-the-scenes once again to look at my whole experience last week of realizing that the most productive, most strategic thing I could do for my business in the moment was simply to stop and rest - even when that meant making the hard, public decision of missing a deadline. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ What I Struggled With This Past Week & How It Impacted My Business ✔ The Difficult Decision I Had To Make ✔ How That Decision Turned Out To Be The Best One ✔ Ways Productivity Becomes Busyness When You're Compromised ✔ The Guilt-Free Permission It's Important To Give Yourself ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/401 P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call

Today is a very special episode—our 400th episode! Instead of me giving you the straight talk this week, the tables are turned and I get interviewed by my marketing content creator. Come behind the scenes of my business with me to learn about my personal journey, the entrepreneurial struggles you usually don't hear about, and what I've learned over 400 podcast episodes and 15 years of business ownership. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ Why & How I Started My Business ✔ The Multitude Of Sacrifices It Required ✔ The Biggest Fears I Had While Building The Business ✔ How My Business Has Evolved Through The Years ✔ The Challenges That Acted As Catalysts For Those Transformations ✔ Which Strategic Decisions I Made In Order To Grow ✔ The Lessons I've Learned & Where I'm Going Next ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/400 P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call

I sit down with the CEO of Dugout Mugs, Kris Dehnert, to pull back the curtain on the inner workings of his successful business and dive into his entrepreneurial journey that took him from a near-death experience to making $55 million in sales. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ How Kris Ended Up Manufacturing Mugs Out Of Baseball Bats ✔ What Mistakes He Made Along The Way To Making $55 Million In Sales ✔ Kris' Process For Determining Where The Puck Is Going To  Go ✔ His Advice For Business Owners Who Wants To Unclutter Their Lives ✔ The Checkboxes Kris Looks At Before Pulling Triggers On Opportunities ✔ The Leadership Wisdom He Relies On To Keep Winning ✔ What's Next For Kris & His Business To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/399 P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call  

I share the one question that changes everything in your business and life when answered ahead of business planning. I then go on to discuss why most business owners skip this foundational step, what the true cost of that mistake is, and how finally answering this question becomes your strategic compass and the filter for every decision you make. What You Will Discover In This Episode: ✔ The One Foundational Question That Must Be Answered Before Any Business Planning ✔ Why Chasing Revenue Goals Without This Clarity Leads to Burnout ✔ How Skipping This Step Costs You Your Health and Personal Relationships ✔ Why This Question Feels "Less Urgent" and Why It's Often Considered "Selfish" ✔ How Answering It Becomes Your Strategic Compass and Decision Filter ✔ What Specific Details You Need to Define to Make This Question Powerful ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/398 P.S. I want to remind you about that free resource I mentioned at the beginning—"A Look Ahead: One Year From Now." It's a guided reflection that will walk you through defining your vision of success for both your business and personal life. Head on over to AmberDeLaGarza.com/lookahead to grab it. And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call

I sit down with Myrna Everett, the CEO of Home Vogue Interiors, to dive deep into her evolution from running a successful business on the front end but headed toward a breaking point on the back end, to running a successfully business on both the front end and back end, AND in a strategic way that has essentially made replacing herself possible. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ The Stressful Reality Of Being A One-Woman Show ✔ How Myrna Overcame The Deep-Seated Resistance To Delegation And SOPs ✔ Why Documenting Systems Must Precede Successful Hiring ✔ The Time Myrna Spent Away From Her Business Which Proved Its Scalability ✔ Her Plan To Successfully Transition From Operational Expert To Full-Time CEO ✔ Myrna's Experience Attending My In-Person VIP Business Blueprint Events ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/397   P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call  

In this special Behind The Business episode I sit down with Author, Keynote Speaker, host of A Well-Designed Business and Window Treatments for Profit Podcasts, LuAnn Nigara, to peel back the curtain on what it took to evolve from the CEO of WindowWorks to her current career roles, and discuss what it now takes to face operational realities in her businesses as a creative visionary.  What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ The Genesis of LuAnn Nigara, Inc.  ✔ Why She Considers Herself A Creative Entrepreneur & Visionary ✔ What She Learned Over 4 Decades In Business ✔ What It Takes To Get Into The Boardroom Of Directors ✔ The Ah-Ha's LuAnn Received Through Coaching With Amber ✔ What's Next For LuAnn ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/396 P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call  

I dive into the messy reality of how revenue leaks actually show up when you're running a business day-to-day and divulge real-world solutions to the pricing, billing, and operational issues causing them. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ How Your Commute Can Become An Unpaid Customer Service Hotline ✔ The Revenue Leaks That Could Be Showing Up In Your Business Daily ✔ How You Might Be Sabotaging Your Billing & Business Model ✔ Ways Your High Efficiency Could Actually Be Penalizing Your Profitability ✔ The Importance Of Building Upon An Operational Foundation ✔ The Freedom That Comes From Shifting To Reward Efficiency ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/395 P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call

I dive into the five levels of revenue leaks that compound into massive losses year after year and show you exactly why most "fixes" don't actually fix anything. What You'll Discover In This Episode: ✔ What Separates Successful Business Owners From Those Who Stay Stuck ✔ The 5 Revenue Leaks That Most Business Owners Miss ✔ What Must Be Done To Acquire Lost Revenue ✔ The Time-Money Connection Most Business Owners Miss ✔ So Much More! To access resources and links from this episode, click on https://AmberDeLaGarza.com/394 P.S. Want to discover what's most holding you back in business and receive a personalized playlist to help you overcome those specific challenges? It only takes a few minutes to take the Next Level Business Owner Quiz and get on the path of taking your leadership and business to the next level!  And… If you want help managing your time, creating efficiency, making a new hire, reducing the stress and overwhelm of running a business, or making strategic decisions that will help you level up your business, I'd like to talk to you. Let's discuss how we can partner together to help you get unstuck, reduce stress, and determine a clear path to increased profits! Schedule your Discovery Call