The Easily Distracted Entrepreneur

Are you good at being a manager? We have the wonderful Casey Gromer, who just might be able to answer all your dreams, on the show to talk with us about taking your business to serving your needs, and encouraging entrepreneurs to make their own business plans. Casey is the founder of SHE-Suite Boutique, and calls herself a Fractional Integrator. Her goal is to help women step out of their day-to-day tasks so that they move into their creativity. Casey is also the host of the Female Founders Breaking Boundaries Podcast where they talk all about supporting other business women. We discussed how you don’t have to be the manager to be the CEO. And that having the right people surround you in your business, those who know how to balance the  company needs and can work with you, not against you, based on skills and strengths. People who can help move your business forward.  Casey gives examples on how your team is going to be a huge part of how you succeed and run your day to day operations. You don’t want to be holding up the progression, you want innovative people who can help you think through the process and be able to take the next steps to elevate your company. There is nothing wrong with who you are and how you want to run your business, Casey shares with us. That just because your description, tasks, plans, etc is different from the traditional format, does not mean that you aren’t doing what is right for you and your company. You don’t need to change anything about how you want to run things as an entrepreneur, you just need to make sure that the path you are following is in the best interest of you and your business. Links & References Amber Hawley Casey Gromer Social Media Amber Hawley on Facebook Amber Hawley on Instagram Amber Hawley on Linkedin Casey Gromer on Facebook Casey Gromer on LinkedIn Female Founders Breaking Boundaries Podcast SHE-Suite Boutique Assessment Special Mentions Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Gretchen Rubin Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Join The Easily Distracted Community today: Facebook Instagram Join the Inner Circle

Happy four year anniversary to the podcast! Business owners are busy, and with tech challenges and life happening all around us there never seems to be enough time in the day. But one of my favorite things about publishing this podcast is the ability to really connect with you and offer you support in getting clarity around what’s important to you at this moment. To celebrate four years with you, this week I’m offering you four of my favorite tools I use in life and business. Some of these tools cross the boundaries between the two, but let’s be real…in entrepreneurship there’s a gradient between the two and we’re often straddling that line! Tune in. And if you haven’t already left a rating and review, that would be great “happy anniversary” gift to the podcast! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Links and Resources: Facebook Instagram Join the Inner Circle Time Stamps: [2:35] - Adjusting in biz is needed right now [3:40] - Happy 4 years, listeners! [4:25] - Let’s hear from you [4:53] - Some of my favorite books [5:22] - 4 of my favorite tools [5:40] - How the Alexa dot is a business tool [7:55] - A tech solution for ADHD note-takers [10:15] - The best bonus feature in Google calendar [13:42] - The One Thing

Does the thought of creating content for your social media account sound overwhelming? I hear that all the time, entrepreneurs feel that pressure to do all the things but they struggle with social media.    What if you could grow your social media following without feeling the overwhelm of having to do it all? (Because you don’t!)   This week on the podcast, Andréa Jones and I discuss how finding a place on social media to help you grow your business is a challenge. But it doesn’t have to be. There are ways to get to your end goal without sacrificing other parts of your business or your life.    We all know that being a business owner means you are handling many aspects of running your business but you need to remember that social media is a segment of those running parts. Andréa addresses how building content is a learned skill and it takes time to develop, especially if you are trying to build sustainable content. We also talk about being discouraged when comparing your status to other high-level influencers, that each business works differently, and has its own levels of creating content.   About Andréa Jones: Andréa Jones is the social media strategist for passion-led coaches and experts who want to make a difference in the world with their message.   She’s guided her clients and students from stuck to strategic, passion-led powerhouses and visionary thought leaders with her simple approach to social media: “take one little step each day. Build social media savvy overtime.”   Digital business owners around the world flock to her award-winning agency; Thrive Mentorship Program; Savvy Social School; and top-100-rated marketing podcast by the same name — so they can discover how to make their impact on the world with social media (without the overwhelm). And spread their positivity across social platforms.   When she’s not teaching the power and positivity of social media, you can find Andréa at home with her growing family (she welcomes her first child to the world in April of 2022) in picturesque Niagara Falls, Canada. Links and Resources: Brené Brown Savvy Social School Time Stamps: [01:02] – Amber announces this episode’s guest as social media strategist extraordinaire Andréa Jones. [02:02] – Andréa touches on some of the issues with using social media. [4:30] – Amber asks Andréa what advice she would give to the person first using Instagram. [05:28] – Andréa recommends prep time for posts, check-ins, and reviewing progress. [07:59] – Preparing social media content in an hour may be difficult but Andréa answers the question, “how in the world could I do that in an hour?”. [09:00] – Andréa states that it is okay getting a few posts the first time, this is a skill to build & develop. [12:26] – Amber asks for advice on specific approaches for putting out content. [14:03] – Andréa conveys that the storytelling element still needs to be in the post. [16:55] – Many business owners wear multiple hats, and Amber wants to know what social media platform Andréa recommends starting out on. [18:56] – We discover the top two platforms for service-based business owners, right now, as suggested by Andréa. [20:11] – Recapping that part of the purpose for posting is to reach new people. [21:35] – Andréa shares her focus strategy for building referral partnerships. [24:05] – We learn that coming from a genuine place is a great way for relationship networking. [24:32] – Andréa speaks briefly that her favorite clients may not be on social media and that she must be creative in reaching them. [25:20] – Being a content creator on social media is different than being a business owner on social media. [28:27] – Remember, someone like Brené Brown, has a team behind her building her content and that is something to keep in mind. [29:38] – Andréa gives advice for those comparing to others, that figuring out what kind of business owner are and accepting that where you should be [30:35] – Influencer level should not be the expectation, Amber declares, and that is very different from being a business owner and impacting the business. [33:07] – Andréa provides an exercise for the writing piece, of creating posts/content. [34:47] – We acquire information about Andréa’s program, the Savvy Social School, and how to connect with her.

Therapist and wellness consultant Marisol Solarte-Erlacher joins me in this episode to discuss her position as a trauma therapist and her views on trauma, especially amongst women within the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community. Marisol and I met at a thought leadership program, and after getting to know a little bit more about her and the wonderful things that she does, I knew that I had to have her on the podcast! You would probably be hard-pressed to find someone who has not been impacted by trauma in one way or another in their life, but people – especially women – within the BIPOC community tend to have an even extra layer added to that due to societal problems like sexism and systemic racism. There is often extra pressure and responsibility – pressure to be a good representative of and for your community and to be a voice, and taking time to focus on yourself is therefore often seen as selfish. Marisol encourages such people to give themselves permission to take that time to themselves and to not have to constantly be that voice at the table. She and I also talk about how important it is to create space for other people's humanity. That tends to be, in fact, one of the reasons why there is that extra layer of trauma and struggle for BIPOC women because they are so often dehumanized and objectified and consequently don't have that space. They frequently develop further coping mechanisms such as extreme independence, and even though, as Marisol points out, all coping mechanisms are helpful in some way or else we wouldn't use them, there are times when they are unhealthy and not helpful. That's why taking that time to ourselves is so important. I am so excited to have had Marisol on the podcast because this topic is so important and is far too often overlooked. Small decisions that most other people would likely take for granted are exaggerated, causing all of that extra pressure that we talk about in this episode, and it is, again, so important that we address this and talk about it. Be sure to check out Marisol's podcast Resilience and Resistance Podcast and to also be on the lookout for her new podcast Work Trauma Is Real which is launching very soon! Links and Resources Marisol’s Website Resilience and Resistance Podcast Resilience and Resistance Podcast - Instagram Page Bessel van der Kolk M.D. - The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

I have a super special guest today that I'm pretty dang excited about. I’m joined by the one, the only Dr. Melissa Hall! That is right, my biz bestie is back! (At least for today!) The reason we wanted to do this episode together, besides it being more fun is that we're going to talk about an ADHD strategy for getting things done. And you know, both of us have ADHD. We specialize in ADHD. We love supporting our ADHD community. So if you're about to tune out because you don't have ADHD, do not worry. The strategy actually works for everyone and it can be really helpful, but it's particularly helpful for all of our neuro-diverse peeps out there. Today we are doing a deep dive on body doubling.   Body Doubling is one of those things that sounds so simple but it is a really great strategy. It may have been something that you are already doing and not even aware of it.   I actually just kind of intuitively did this without knowing that I was doing this well before I understood, or even before I knew I had ADHD or that this strategy is actually a thing. We're going to talk about different ways to utilize the strategy and kind of our experience of things that do work and don't work so well. We go into what is Body Doubling, how to structure it, what can make it not as effective and why we think you should give it a shot. (It's research based ya'll). If you want to try it out with a pro, head on over to amberhawey.com/innercircle to learn all about the Inner Circle where we cowork EVERY month. Dr. Maelisa Hall is a licensed psychologist, nail design enthusiast, and multi-passionate entrepreneur. Through her business QA Prep, she empowers therapists through trainings and consultation on clinical documentation. Maelisa focuses on the “why” behind the usual recommendations and encourages clinicians to think outside the box, while also keeping their ethics intact. A true ENFP, Maelisa aims to make sure all of her endeavors are meeting a need in the community while also allowing for plenty of laughter and fun. Website/Business Links:  QA Prep https://www.qaprep.com/  Social Media Links:  Instagram @maelisahall https://www.instagram.com/maelisahall/  LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maelisa-hall-psy-d-28923177  QA Prep YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCytXRIFI17MtbmTh5QTJhsg  Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join The My Biz Bestie Community today: My Biz Bestie Facebook Let's Connect on Instagram

If you have been around me in the past few months you would have heard me singing the praises of my favorite new show! I have been telling EVERYONE and I do mean everyone about it. From parents at my daughters soccer games, to people at stores, my esthetician and all my friends and family. I’m obsessed! And for good reason, it's a fresh and much needed bringer of joy and love show called Ted Lasso.  I can’t get enough. Literally. I have watched the premiere 10 episodes so many times I can’t even count. It was suggested to me by a friend when I was having one of those particularly rough days that happen in entrepreneurship and it was leading me to an existential crisis of sorts.  She gave me kind support and then suggested that I watch the show. It was 9pm and I immediately found it on AppleTV and started watching. I watched straight through all 10 episodes. Sitting in bed with my ipad and headset. My husband came in and went to sleep and I kept watching and finished at 3:30 in the morning. I laughed and I cried and I felt renewed. I had faith in humanity again and I felt inspired to do my best and be my best.  Seriously, it was the best pep-talk ever! I have so many favorite moments that I think speak to leadership, striving to be the best, having goals that can at times feel like they defy the odds but there is one that occurs in episode 2 that I think every entrepreneur should have in their arsenal. Ted Lasso delivers his charmingly unique brand of coaching, and a brilliantly simple strategy for keeping your head straight in business when things go wrong.  AND THEY WILL! Ted: “You know what the happiest animal on earth is?”  Sam: “No” Ted: “A goldfish, you know why? Because it has a 10 second memory. Be a goldfish, Sam.” When you make a mistake yes you should try to rectify the situation if possible, be honest, be accountable but without a doubt BE A GOLDFISH! Let the weight of the emotion leave you, don’t go down a shame spiral but acknowledge and move on. Give yourself ten seconds to feel bad then move forward as the badass biz owner that you know you are.  Now I know that sometimes our missteps can have bigger consequences or hit us in a particularly vulnerable area or time so maybe we need more than ten seconds, maybe we need fifteen minutes or an hour or a day. Allow yourself to feel those feelings but then move forward.   Don’t let mistakes define who you are or what you think about yourself. Then you can try to repair the situation and make any changes necessary to your approach or your systems.  So my strategy and hope for you this week is to be a goldfish! If you feel like you could use some extra support about dealing with the emotional side of business such as mindset, overwhelm, adhd and burnout then head on over to amberhawley.com to find more resources and ways to work with me. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join The My Biz Bestie Community today: My Biz Bestie Facebook Let's Connect on Instagram

In today's episode I share a story about getting unstuck, making changes and doing something that felt scary. Which included an important announcement about the podcast. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » If you are someone who would like some extra support with staying focused on what matters in your business head on over to mybizbestie.com/inner-circle for more information on the monthly membership.

If you’re passionate about getting your thoughts and ideas out there to the world so you can help others, then you, my friend, are a thought leader. But what does that look like, in practice? With public speaking being the number one fear of humans, and the online space making speaking up feel very vulnerable, many thought leaders hold back their message or don’t share it to the scope that they could. This week on the podcast, Carol Cox and I talk about how to get past that fear through community and taking little steps toward your bigger message. Because you don’t have to have it all figured out from day one. Your message can and should evolve as you learn more and grow. Carol shares how to find your own thought leadership message, where to get started, and why your message doesn’t necessarily have to tie to what you do in business. About Carol Cox: Carol Cox is the founder and CEO of Speaking Your Brand®,  a coaching and training company that helps high-performing, purpose-driven women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and thought leadership platforms. Carol is the host of the weekly 5-star rated Speaking Your Brand® podcast and during election seasons serves as a Democratic political analyst on TV news. Carol was named as one of Orlando's Women of the Year in 2021 and has been featured in Forbes. Through her company and content, her mission is to empower more women to find and use their voice, to tell the stories that need to be told, and to activate ideas for change. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram. Links and Resources: Thought Leader Academy Time Stamps: [2:06] - A magical summit [4:10] - Amber’s dream job: emcee [5:52] - What is thought leadership [6:45] - Existential crises among business owners [7:15] - Making a shift from in-person talks being canceled [8:18] - How thought leaders propel themselves [9:35] - This is an opportunity to reevaluate what you’re working toward and how you’re defining success [11:22] - Standing in your truth of what you believe [13:16] -Developing bravery to put yourself out there [13:40] - Being courageous and in community [16:24] - Where to start with thought leadership  [18:43] - The three hats of biz owners [20:08] - Thought leaders are like therapists  [21:24] - Overcoming the fear of putting ourselves out there [24:17] - How to avoid the vulnerability hangover [28:33] - Public speaking is the #1 fear  [29:23] - Not everyone is a thought leader [32:21] - How to start identifying what you want to talk about [35:44] - The threads in Amber’s life [38:00] - Benefit of thought leadership that’s different from your business  

It can be tempting to just surround yourself with the people whose company you enjoy, but from an HR perspective, you need to take some things into consideration to ensure that you’re hiring for fit.    This week on the podcast, HR consultant Niki Ramirez and I walk through some of these hiring considerations that are extremely important but all too frequently overlooked. We talk about how your recruitment process is seen by everyone--your clients, prospective clients, competitors--and why you need to keep an eye on your mission, vision, and values. I share my current hiring process and how I test to make sure a candidate is a good culture fit, and Niki shares why hiring someone who is a culture stretch can benefit your business.   Whether you’re a small business owner who’s in the process of looking for their first hire or a more established company that wants to review the previous additions to your team, now is a good time to learn how to navigate the world of hiring and HR compliance. Listen in as Niki shares some great tips on everything from making job descriptions to interviewing short-listed prospects. Plus, learn how you can get hold of her HR checklist that can be useful for your prospecting efforts!   About Niki Ramirez: Niki Ramirez is an industry expert and certified human resource professional with over 20 years of successful experience in leadership and human resources management. She has taken what she learned in Fortune 500 HR and created an impactful and practical approach to balancing HR in small businesses that focuses on both employees’ and employer’s needs.   Central to everything that she does is the belief that all success that is accomplished is through the dedication and efforts of great employees. Niki is a firm believer in the powers of collaboration and communication. She carries with her a strong desire to empower employers and their employees to work in partnership to design and implement meaningful workplace and human resources programs rooted in collaboration, respect, trust and open communication.   Niki’s ultimate goal is to create a positive ripple in the world, through her unique approach to human resources. Niki’s professional background includes serving in operational management and leadership roles, as a corporate human resources consultant, as well as community college adjunct faculty, and a human resources executive. In addition to her three HR professional certifications, Niki is bi-lingual in Spanish/English, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Arizona State University, and an MBA in HR Management from the University of Phoenix.   Links and Resources: HR Answers Instagram – HR Answers Join the Inner Circle Time Stamps: [2:14] - Best practices when hiring [2:33] - Are you situated to be an employer [3:43] - Interviewing and selection [4:05] - Communicating values when recruiting and everyone will see that [5:15] - Start consistent messaging during recruitment [7:10] - How to share recruitment is a big piece of the process [9:33] - So many parts of the hiring process [10:52] - Amber’s current hiring process [14:01] - Create additional points of data for employee profile [16:06] - Series of screening questions in writing before first phone interview [18:16] - Questions to determine if candidates align with mission, vision, values [22:10] - Use interview to develop a potential relationship [23:47] - Benefits of collecting an employment application [27:46] - Only hire the “hell yes” candidates [29:28] - Be consistent in your process [30:11] - As part of the interview process, do this top secret thing [34:16] - There are things you can’t ask about [37:43] - Develop your questions in a way that allows for open conversation [40:35] - How to use checklists during interviews so you can have a better interview flow [42:16] - Amber’s strategy for finding a good cultural fit [45:07] - Your brain runs with an operating system; Niki’s is HR compliant [50:10] - Bring up potential deal-breakers with prospective employee

Lexi Soulios is a therapist and growth strategist who helps leaders clear stubborn patterns so they can reach their next-level business, relationship, and life goals. Over the past 20 years, she has supported thousands of clients and students across five continents – including NY Times best-selling authors, C-suite executives, celebrity families, leading business coaches, and renowned healers. Lexi’s work has been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post, Bustle Magazine, Thrive Global, and OMTimes. Find out more about Lexi: Instagram: http://instagram.com/lexi.soulios LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexi-soulios/ Website: hhttps://lexisoulios.com Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsamberhawley Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsamberhawley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsamberhawley/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsamberhawley Website: https://amberhawley.com/

Ky Westcott, an East Coast boy with a West Coast heart, embarks on a neurospicy journey to come to terms with his ADHD, high functioning anxiety, and depression while discovering the power of negotiation and knowledge to overcome his mental health challenges. In this episode we discuss: How to navigate and manage mental health with neurodivergence, particularly in the black community. The importance of validating one's own feelings and emotions, and how to apply that knowledge in the future. The power of working with your brain, focused attention, and excitement in achieving extraordinary results. Kai Westcott is a mental health humorist, director, digital creator, writer, and producer. He has been documenting his neurospicy journey for the past year and uses his social media platforms and website to share his journey and lend his platforms to other people. If you love hearing about people’s journey’s you might like these other interviews in the “My Neurodivergent Brain” series. https://amberhawley.com/my-neurodivergent-brain-with-annie-ruggles/ Find out more about The Vibe With Ky: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevibewithky/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyruskeenanwestcott/ Website: https://thevibewithky.com/ Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsamberhawley Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsamberhawley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsamberhawley/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsamberhawley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/amberhawley Website: https://amberhawley.com/ Loved this episode? Share it with a friend. Chapter Summaries: [00:00:49] Ky Westcott is a mental health humorist, a director, a digital creator, writer, producer. He is also the person that introduced me to the term neurospic. Anything to do with mental health or entertainment or social media, kai's your guy. Listen to the actual interview. [00:04:25] The Vibe with kai has been documenting his neurospicy journey for the past year. Kai has all three ADHD, high functioning anxiety and severe depression. He loves inviting mental health professionals onto his platform to give out their insight. [00:06:27] I didn't even find out until I was 41 that I had ADHD. Now that I have a better understanding of a lot of it, I realize that I'm thankful that it did happen. I don't know what kind of person I would be today if it weren't for my journey. [00:12:24] There is not a lot of research behind black people and mental health. For so many people of color, what they're going through is discounted. There's tons of misdiagnoses that are happening to this day because there's just no research behind it. [00:16:57] I think it's also we're experts in ourselves, right? We know our particular, like how we do things. Sometimes we need help seeing those patterns or getting unstuck. And so when so I know it's only been a year, I'm actually surprised. [00:17:44] How does ADHD how has it challenged you? How is it a challenge? And then how have you adapted the way you do business or the way that you do projects to deal with that? [00:25:12] Kai: Your feelings, your thoughts are always down. You are feeling that way for a reason. What you have to do then is figure out what you're going to do with those thoughts in those fields. When you can do that, you can validate other people's feelings. [00:28:20] One of the most positive things in having ADHD is like the creativity. When you hyper focus, like you said, that's where the magic happens. I try to use my hyper focus to my advantage because one of the things that I've been really pushing myself to do is to live in the moment. [00:34:56] 100%. As a virgo and somebody who my ADHD is called Over Focused, that organization gives me calm. At work, I was often reluctant to do things that I knew I should be doing. The more we understand ourselves and how our brains work, it can be so freeing. [00:41:39] Amber: At what age does it seem kind of messed up that I still pull all nighters to get stuff done?  Ky: I find that balance because there are lots of reasons why it's not good and it's unhealthy. When I'm finding this balance, I don't fight it. [00:46:16] I want to always add some sort of levity to the conversation about mental health because it is such a very serious thing. I just want people to be able to watch my stuff and just know that they're not alone. We shouldn't be afraid to talk about it. [00:53:03] Amber: What advice would you give to somebody struggling with feeling like they're not good enough? Ky: Your feelings are valid. Once you fully recognize that you can do anything that you want, the possibilities are endless. Where is the best place for people to connect with you?  

We all need a pep talk from time to time. You are worthy, sometimes business and life is a slog and it doesn't mean anything about you or your value. In the words of Dory, "Just Keep Swimming."   This week only, grab a year of support for only $777. https://amberhawley.com/innercircle/    

In this conversation with Cerita Yvonne, we talk about all the toxic thinking, perfectionism, people pleasing, not feeling good enough and the interplay of how you think about yourself can impact your relationships. Do you have a big goal for your business this year? How will it feel not to achieve that goal? Not because it’s not important to you but because it's hard to keep your life and business going and stay the course with things when life throws you curveballs or you have too many things competing for your attention. What if you could have a high level of support, accountability, strategy to ensure you will achieve your goals and keep you on track. The Incubator is the answer to your overwhelmed and distracted prayers! You can still join this week so don’t delay! Check Out The Incubator: https://www.theeasilydistractedentrepreneur.com/incubator/ About Cerita Yvonne: Cerita is a relational trauma expert. She is also a therapist, trauma coach, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, hypnotherapist, and hope dealer. As a recovered codependent perfectionist, sexual abuse survivor, and retired superwoman transformed into a super woman.  Cerita specializes in helping Black women heal the heartbreak of trauma through authentic self-love.  Visit her website and follow her on Instagram. Links and Resources: Join The Incubator Now! Join Inner Circle  

One of the blessings of the pandemic is that we now see a great example of why, as a business owner, we need to be prepared so our team members and/or family can keep our business going if we are sick for an extended period of time or if we pass.  Maybe you're thinking, where would I even start to get all that set up? Or maybe you know it’s important but like many important things in our business and life, when do you actually prioritize that?  In today’s episode I talk to MaryBeth Simon, the CEO of Niche Partnership Consulting where she guides entrepreneurs and professionals to create contingency plans that prepare them and their teams for the unexpected or an extended vacation. After talking to MaryBeth I decided that I will add reviewing my contingency plan to my Monthly CEO day every April. As that is the month I have themed for Systems. Making space always comes back to planning (but a realistic and sustainable plan of course). Do you have a big goal for your business this year? Maybe you're determined to finally write that book. Maybe you want to add another income stream like coaching or courses so you can take your family on vacation or pay off debt.  If you tend to lose steam after the initial excitement of a new project wears off, come join us in The Incubator! I'll help you work in a new way that ensures you have fun and make steady progress without burning out. You'll benefit from my 25 years professional experience + the accountability of an amazing group of entrepreneurs to help your big goals become proud accomplishments. Check Out The Incubator: https://www.theeasilydistractedentrepreneur.com/incubator/ About MaryBeth Simon: Mary Beth guides entrepreneurs and professionals to create contingency plans that prepare them and their teams for the unexpected or an extended vacation. She is the CEO of Niche Partnership Consulting and speaks at national conferences and on international podcasts. She believes continuous learning is the fountain of youth and became a certified Les Mills BodyFlow instructor after retiring from 30+ years at Vanguard. She’s a rescue dog mom and active in her local business community in her free time. Mary Beth is on a mission to show you how to keep money flowing into your business while you’re away.  Visit her website and follow her on Instagram. Links and Resources: Join The Incubator Now! Join Inner Circle

If you're somebody who loves organization and streamlining systems like I do or maybe you're feeling like you could use a little more organization in your business, than this week's episode is for you! We are talking about structuring your CEO days. This is when you are putting on your CEO hat, and working ON your business, not in it. This isn't the admin kind of work most business owners invariably have to do; this is big picture work, and evaluative work.  I break down my process for my annual CEO days and the monthly ones as well. I encourage you to consider adding CEO days to your calendar as they are the kind of days that can help you get clarity about your vision for your business as well as give you data to make better decisions. I also have included the CEO day checklist to give you a visual for how to structure them. Grab your checklist here. << I’m also adding an amazing bonus to anyone who joins The Incubator by Monday, January 30th. You will get FREE access to a VIP half-day Systems Workshop (happening in March), where we will go through your systems and get some created, tweaked or updated to ensure your business foundation is set up to support you achieving your goals! Additionally You will get the Designing Your Perfect Work Week Workshop happening Friday February 3rd at noon est/ 9am pst. Get more information about The Incubator here. <<   “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ~Benjamin Franklin

In this episode I talk to neurodivergent biz owner Rebecca Rose about her experience of being diagnosed with Autism, ADHD and OCD.  In this second episode of the series called My Neurodivergent Brain, Rebecca has a candid conversation about the impact being neurospicy has on her as a person and as a business owner. She talks about the benefits as well as the struggles and how she makes accommodations as well as structures her business to fit the way her brain works. I love these episodes as someone who works with so many different people who are Neurodiverse. Neurodivergence (ND) impacts each person in a unique way, and this series highlights this  which can be helpful for both understanding a little better the neurospicy people in your life or for those who may be questioning if they too might be neurospicy!  I love Rebecca's honesty and willingness to be vulnerable in this episode. ......................... Rebecca is a neurodivergent writer, storyteller, creator, chronic oversharer, and imposter. I mean, who even said she could be on a podcast? After earning her degree in journalism and writing for a New York newspaper, she realized that newsrooms are overwhelming and that deadlines are for people without ADHD. So she took to the internet to share anything and everything about her life with complete strangers. In the 10+ years since starting her blog Rosey Rebecca, the topics she writes about have shifted significantly. What began as a way to share her exercise "routine" (addiction) and "healthy" (disordered) eating in her early 20s has evolved into an outlet to document self-discovery and self-care in her 30s. You can connect with Rebecca here: http://roseyrebecca.com Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/roseyrebecca/ LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/roseyrebecca/ ................ Also don't forget to register for the Free Get Sh*t Done Workshop happening this Friday Jan 13th. https://www.theeasilydistractedentrepreneur.com/gsd/

Happy 2023 Ya’ll!  I don’t know about you but I’m feeling really good about the upcoming year. Don’t get me wrong, my sarcastic side still wants to jump in and say that to make such a statement is naively optimistic especially given the last three years, but sarcasm aside I truly am excited and its not just wishful optimism. First, I'm hosting two free events in January: To register for the Get Sh*t Done Workshop on Jan 13th and to get on the list for the coworking day on January 27th head on over to https://www.theeasilydistractedentrepreneur.com/gsd/ Ok so, 2022 was kinda rough for me. Some of the things that happened were: I closed my group therapy practice which had been my primary income generator since 2011. I took on debt I ended relationships The last 4 months especially were filled with some of my highest highs and lowest lows I had experienced in a long time. I was grieving things, processing things and questioning almost everything.  And I know that I wasn’t alone in that. I also knew I wasn’t going to bring that energy into 2023.  Maybe you too are feeling some of the struggles I talked about. I’m hearing from friends and clients about the impact of health challenges, relationship struggles, financial uncertainty and more that are taking center stage in their lives.  Many didn’t have the energy to grow their businesses and were just in survival mode. Some people pulled back in their business and sought outside work to create more stability and safety nets and some people closed their businesses entirely.  My hope is that if any of this is your story that you have given yourself so much love and support and realize none of those things are failure or bad or your fault. Being flexible and adjusting accordingly is actually a healthy thing to do. I wanted to share some things that helped me in my own process of shifting my energy and letting go, that may be helpful for you if your are in need of a shift too. I identified 15 things, not all happened at once they built on each other. Take a listen and let me know what you think. Will you try one of these? What do you do to shift your mood, mindset and energy? I would love to hear from you. Send me a DM or email hello@amberhawley.com.

If you’re neurodivergent, you likely struggle with focus. You spend hours and hours (and hours!) trying to get a task done but are derailed by distractions from every direction. And most of these distractions are manufactured by YOU. The 40+ tabs on your computer, the smartphone “calling your name,” the random idea that you need to research RIGHT THIS MINUTE. And, my favorite distraction, social media.   It’s no wonder we struggle to get work done.   Though technology has created so many ways to distract us, it’s also created ways to help us focus on what’s important to us. And this week on the podcast, Jessie Patterson is sharing what some of these are.   Jessie helps people unlock their authentic dream life, something she did herself by figuring how to be more productive while working less and living a nomadic lifestyle. As a fellow neurodivergent, Jessie understands how our brains work and has tips, tricks, and tools you can try so you can live your own best life.   About Jessie Patterson: Jessie Patterson helps clients unlock their time to build an authentic dream life. As a former Real Estate Development Executive, Jessie was able to reimagine her digital habits to unlock 38 days of her year back when she thought she had ZERO extra time.   Jessie is now focused on the most valuable real estate in the world...the mind & body. As a Transformational Coach and founder of NourishX she helps her clients with keys to unlocking their dreams via coaching programs and online courses.   Every purchase provides 15%+ towards impact partners that are working to create a world where all kids have quality education, housing, food, and water.   You can learn more on Jessie’s website, follow her on Instagram, and connect with her on LinkedIn.   Links and Resources: Focusmate Win the Day Are Your Stories Keeping You Stuck? Foundations of Focus for Entrepreneurs Time Stamps:   [1:02] - Spending time in a magical place [1:43] - Welcoming Jessie Patterson [2:40] - Made small changes to unlock time, energy, and mindset to get days back in her life [6:04] - Honor your differences when it comes to your dream life [8:43] - You can question the narrative [10:29] - Learning that being dyslexia is part of being neurodivergent [12:56] - Focusing on your creativity is a more fun world than focusin gon what you don’t do well [14:58] - Reimagine how you could live [15:42] - Your mind is a jail that keeps you blocked [16:34] - We spend 2.5 hours a day on social…that’s 38+ days of your year [17:30] - Are your stories keeping you stuck [18:46] - The power of the digital detox [19:29] - How often do you pick up your phone and hours pass? [21:30] - Getting caught up in your business is a fallacy [22:11] - Instead of Googling something, make a note in Notes and go back to it later [24:0]5 - Allow yourself rest so you can show up as your best self [26:30] - Working too much is robbing us of our happiness [29:46] - Work on one task for 10 minutes [31:01] - Strategies to unblock time [33:47] - Over 45% of our day is habits [36:15] - Don’t beat yourself up if something feels hard [39:55] - Start with one small thing

What happens to the business owner who has obsessive-compulsive disorder? They figure out how their brains work and end up growing an amazing business and hosting an informative and entertaining podcast.   Okay, not everyone does that but this week’s guest, Annie Ruggles, sure does.   This week’s episode is the first in a series called My Neurodivergent Brain, where I talk to neurodivergent business owners…diagnosed with OCD, ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and more. We talk about their experience in life and business, what their diagnosis looked like, how it’s impacted their business and life, and how they found their superpowers.   Annie has come to embrace her OCD and views her compulsions as grounding and self-soothing most of the time. She looks at her behavior and thoughts as sometimes self-protective and sees OCD as benefiting her client work.   I hope that today’s episode, and the rest in this series, help you to embrace your own neurodivergence and start to see ways you can embrace your uniqueness as a superpower that not everyone gets to experience.   About Annie Ruggles: For over a decade, Annie has harnessed her Hulk-like disdain for hard-sales, tacky self-promotion, and overly competitive sleazeballs as inspiration to help people find better ways to grow their small businesses.    She has guided hundreds of people toward making deeper connections, lasting impressions, and friendlier, more lucrative transactions and conversations. Her pride and joy is her podcast, Too Legitimate to Quit: Instantly Actionable Small Business Strategies with a Pop Culture Spin. Visit her website and follow her on Instagram.   Links and Resources: Episode 128: Stop Avoiding the Ask and Start Selling with Annie Ruggles Non-Sleazy Sales Academy Too Legitimate to Quit Podcast On Boundaries, Burnout, and So I Married an Axe Murderer The Coach Who Would Not Sell Join Inner Circle Foundations of Focus for Entrepreneurs: Focus on what matters to you without burning out Time Stamps:   [4:21] - Welcome to Annie [6:44] - Annie’s diagnosis and how she got there [9:49] - There’s a beating up of yourself because you think you’re not good enough [12:44] - Being OCD vs. a pain in the ass [15:50] - Stress exacerbate the symptoms [16:27] - When done right, compulsions are grounding and self-soothing behaviors [18:48] - Is it compulsion or impulsivity from ADHD [21:19] - How long ago Annie received her diagnosis [22:02] - “Unwanted thought syndrome” [22:40] - Self protective behaviors sabotage us [28:02] - The benefits of OCD in client work [30:35] - Ride the wave - when you’re activated you’re on fire [33:22] - How COVID impacted small business [34:28] - She can work next to people, but would not choose that [35:31] - leaning into energy [37:03] - We became entrepreneurs because we wanted that control [38:55] - what do you need today in order for your brain to work as an asset, not a hindrance [42:42] - If you’re resonating with these ideas, go to the doctor to get a diagnosis [44:05] - Caution is helpful as self-protection unless it starts to mess with your quality of life [44:31] - Give the thought a gentle kiss  [47:05] - More about Annie

I’m finding more and more entrepreneurs who are navigating divorce while trying to keep their businesses afloat. And that’s not just because I’m a couples therapist. I think many people have finally gotten to the point where what they’ve been doing isn’t working or they’re just not happy, and they decide that divorcing is the right path forward.   That’s the case for this week’s podcast guest, Casey Gromer, fractional CMO and host of the Female Founders Breaking Boundaries podcast. Casey is sharing her story of recently getting divorced while still trying to show up in exactly the same way in her business.   I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you that this just isn’t possible. Even in an amicable split, there’s so much going on and so many life changes that you have to give yourself some grace for taking care of yourself.   I’m so grateful that Casey was willing to share her story and her struggles because I know she is not alone in this journey.   Throughout the episode, Casey and I reference my interview on her podcast where we talk more about the emotional side of divorce. Find a link to that episode below!   About Casey Gromer: Casey Gromer is a 20-year business and marketing expert. As an MBA, she is widely regarded as a go-to source for visionary women entrepreneurs who dream of building businesses to run without them. She is passionate about creating a more equitable landscape for women in business and working to remove common barriers that hold them back.   Casey is podcast host of Female Founders Breaking Boundaries where she encourages women to forgo stale, inflexible business advice in favor of more realistic, workable ways of running their business while still achieving success. Additionally, Casey is the author of “A Fresh Wave of Marketing,” a no-nonsense guide to simplifying the creation of business and marketing strategy.   As founder of C-Suite Boutique, Casey currently serves women entrepreneurs in an advisory role. Under her leadership, clients have scaled their businesses while working less and spending more time doing things they love. The industries she’s supported include retail, e-commerce, service businesses, and manufacturing. Links and Resources: C-Suite Boutique Forge Your Own Path with Casey Gromer Female Founders Breaking Boundaries Listen to Amber on Casey’s podcast Foundations of Focus Course  Hannah Smolinski YouTube Channel Connect with Casey on LinkedIn Follow Casey on Instagram Time Stamps:   [0:50] - Casey’s previous episode [1:36] - Who is Casey [2:09] - Double podcast and Casey’s story [4:09] - Foundations of Focus course is on presale [6:03] - The impact that going through a divorce has on your business [7:34] - Where Casey is in this process [9:31] - In stage of life where divorce is more prevalent [10:35] - Even if you were the one to initiate the divorce, you still haven’t processed it all [11:01] - The reality of starting the process of divorce [12:20] - The waiting to return to normal [13:28] - Different stages of the divorce process [17:07] - Being upset doesn’t mean you made the wrong decision [18:25] - You want to achieve goals, but things feel crappy right now [20:17] - Now that I know what’s happening, how can I proactively restructure work  [22:48] - We discount the impact this stuff has on us [23:29] - Adding tasks to your list that you might not have been doing before [26:16] - Letting go of your partner’s income [30:04] - Let go of some of your work and outsource it [32:30] - Fear that your reputation is being tarnished  [34:51] - Set expectations with clients and know you’ll recover if they leave [36:40] - Getting insurance is expensive [38:13] - The euphoria is gone [40:41] - You don’t have to be superhuman [41:45] - What she’s thinking about as she moves forward  [44:23] - Reassess and let go of the “have to” [45:44] - You can’t work your own magic on yourself [48:25] - You “should” know something but it’s not the same when you’re in it [49:05] - Hairstylists don’t cut their own hair, tattoo artists don’t give themselves tattoos [53:26] - What’s happening is normal; learn from Casey’s mistakes